
Class . 0_4^^1^_. 
Book 



/ 

Aavance Sheets of 



REPOKT OF THE COMMISSION 

/To 



UFOX TIIK 



PLANS FOR THE EXTENSION 



OF 



Indu^rial and Agricultural Training 



Submitted to the Governor January 1 O, 1911 




MADISON, WIS. 

Democrat Pointing Company, State Printer 

1911 









^(^^\ 



To the Honorable Legislature of the State of Wisconsin: 

Herewith is submitted the report of the commission upon 
the plans for the extension of industrial and agricultural train- 
ing. 

Respectfully submitted, 

C, P. Gary, Chairman. 

C. R. Van Hise. 

C. G. Pearse. 

L. E. Reber. 

C. McCxVRTHY, Secretary. 
January 10. 1911. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page 

Part I — Ixtroductiox 1 

Basis of Report 1 

Conditions in the state 3 

Conservation of intelligence 4 

Illiteracy 6 

Scope of report 7 

Salaries of teachers 7 

Special school of normal grade 8 

Independent high schools 9 

Recommendations of the Commission 9 

A. Industrial education 9 

B. Agricultural education 11 

C. General 12 

Part II — Industrial Education 14 

Germany 14 

Heavy investment 17 

Practical nature of work 19 

Continuation schools 20 

Administration 26 

Teachers 27 

Task system 28 

How can German methods be applied to our state? 29 

Existing remedies 30 

Manual training 30 

Wisconsin agricultural schools 31 

Compulsory industrial education under 16 years of age 32 

/ 



vi COXTKXTS. 

Paki' II I MUSI uiM. Eiirt Ai ION — Contimiod. Page 

Continuation scliools 38 

Evening schools 46 

Analysis of existing- methods 46 

Incentives should be studied and used 52 

Evening schools in England oT 

Trade schools 59 

Difficulties relating to 59 

Attitude of organized labor 65 

Apprentice sj'stem 75 

Part time arrangements 78 

Fitchburg system 79 

Cincinnati system 80 

University extension in relation to apprenticeship 81 

Beverly plan 82 

Boston continuation schools 83 

Chicago building trades agreement 83 

Administrative control , 85 

A separate administration recommended 86 

Aid from capital and labor 87 

Other administrative methods and devices 90 

Shall tuition be paid? 90 

Certificates and examinations 92 

Sale of produce 93 

Experimental work 94 

Task system 95 

University extension 96 

Teachers 101 

Text books 1^*^ 

Secondary considerations - l*^"^ 

By-products of industrial education 104 

Citizenship 1^9 

Sanitation H^ 

Vocational direction H*' 

Social factors • • • m 



Contents. vji 

Part II — Ixdistkial Edication — Continued. Page 

Miscellaneous suggestions 112 

Blind alleys 112 

Cost 113 

Should be always for the many 114 

Part III— AcRRTi.TrRAi. Education 114 

The value of agricultural training 114 

Better trained teachers 116 

State aid for agricultural training 118 

The present condition of agricultural teaching and sugges- 
tions for further development 119 

The county training schools 119 

The rural schools 121 

The consolidated country schools 121 

The state graded schools 124 

The township high schools 125 

The village and city high schools 127 

The county schools of agriculture and domestic economy 128 

The university 130 

Conclusion 135 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSION 



UPON PLANS FOK THE KNTKNSION OF 



Industrial and Agricultural Training 



PART T. 

Introduction. 

Basis of report. 

The report of the Commission on Education, herewith sub- 
mitted to the Wisconsin legislature of 1911, is based upon 
Joint Resolution No. 53, of the legislature of 1909. This reso- 
lution is as follows: 

"Whereas, Reliable statistics show that there are at least 
104.000 illiterates in the state of Wisconsin at the present time, 

"Whereas, There is a great movement through this entire 
country at the present time to establish night schools and night 
trade schools so that workers and those who have been denied 
education cannot only get the elements of education but can 
also improve themselves in their business of life. 

Whereas, The growing need of instruction to our people 
who cannot attend school demands from us some investigation 
of this great problem ; therefore be it 

"Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring. That the 
state superintendent, the president of the University of Wiscon- 
sin, the director of the University Extension Division of the 
University of Wisconsin, the librarian of the legislative refer- 
ence department, and the superintendent of the Milwaukee 



2 Kki'oht of the Commission Upon Plans for the 

j)ul)li(' schools arc licrchy created a coimnissioii to i-cport to Ili<' 
next legislature upon remedies for these conditions: and be 
it further 

"Resolved, TJiat the heatls of tliese departments are liercl)y 
directed to use tlieir respective clerical forces to help in this 
matter in so far as it is necessary and to hold such conferences 
with teachers and associations as will enable them best to work 
out the plans for the betterment of these conditimis. pi-ovided 
that none of the said otlficers shall receive any extra compensa- 
tion for their services but may receive such traveling exjienses 
and other expenses necessary to the fullest investigation of all 
of these matters." 

The commission created l)y this resolulion has had ri'equcnt 
meetings during the more than a year and a half \\liicli has 
elapsed since the passage of the resolution. 

Upon a careful analysis of the resolution, it is evident that 
your honorable body intended to have this commission inves- 
tigate thoroughly the basis of education in this state. Your 
commission found at once that the great question of illiteracy 
could not be investigated thoroughly without takiny uj) the 
subject of compulsory education as well as the subject of the 
betterment of the school conditions in general. If there are 
boys and girls grooving up in this state who are illiterate, and if 
there is a crying demand, as evidenced by yiuu- resolution, 
that evening schools should exist, and that opportunities for 
industrial and agricultural education should be increased in 
some way, it appeared to your commission that a cai-eful and 
painstaking review of our entire educational sitnati('n in rela- 
tion to these grave problems must be undertaken. 

Your commission confesses at once that the ]n'ol)lems com- 
mitted to it are too great and too important to be solved in the 
short time, and with the limited means, at its disposal. Never- 
theless, your commission has felt that Avithin the limitations 
imposed upon it by the lack of apjiropriation and time, it 
would not do its duty to the state unless it made some at- 
tempt to reach fundamentals and arrive at some conclusions 
of a constructive nature which, although they may not fully 
solve the problems, will draw the attention to the i-ight princi- 
ples to be used in their ultimate solution. 

Our analysis has led us step by step to the conclusion that 



Extension of Indistrial and Agricui.tikal Training. 3 

Avo must conskler thoroughly the great industrial and social 
changes which are taking place in this and other countries. 
"Wisconsin must look around and abroad, as she does not live 
alone. The great prolilems whieh confront the people of the 
surr .'unding states and tlie dearly l)ought lessons from abroad 
must be brought home to us. Yet, they must be brought home 
with a full and careful analysis of the actual conditions under 
which our (.wn people live. Our investigations have led us' 
directly to the study of the relation of industry to cilucation. 
It is the education of the great mass of the p3ople, and not the 
education of the few. which nuist be thoroughly overhauled, 
and which must l)e reorganized upon a sound basis, with an 
eye to the conditions of the future progress of our state. 

Conditions in the atate. 

Your ^committee does not wish to go into a discussion of any 
great length, of the present industrial status, but nevertheless 
in approaching the problem of industrial and agricultural edu- 
cation, it is necessary to outline briefly the actual conditions 
in the country and the state in order to understand the point 
of view from which your commission worked. 

AVhatever may have been our natural wealth in America,, 
whatever may have been our natural advantages in the past, 
we must admit that conditions have changed. The agitation 
throughout the country for the preservation of our natural 
resources, the anxiety shown -on every hand because of the de- 
l)letion of our forests, the Avearing out of agricultural lands 
and the danger of exhaustion of our mines, shows us that we 
are approaching a nCAv economic era in America. Our coun- 
try has changed from a new land of boundless virgin iiatural- 
resiuirces to a country which must husband its inheritance. 
The state of Wisconsin is changing as rapidly as any portion 
of this country. In fact, the state has become, in little more 
than a decade, a great manufacturing state, covered with 
small villiages and cities. "We have now over 100 fourth 
class cities. We produce at least $450,000,000 of manufactured 
products yearly and $280,000,000 of agricultural products. 
We have changed our economic and social life at the same time 
that we have been taking the cream of our natural resources. 
Our future must be a struggle for prosperity in manufactur- 



4 Report of tiik Co.mmismox I'l'ox Plans for the 

lug and ill cDiinnerc-ial pui'siiils and in intensive and specialized 
agrieulture. We are beeoiiiiiig rapidly i-ediu-ed to the same 
economic basis, and avc must eventually use the same weapons 
in our industrial struggle, as have other countries. We cannot 
dodge the fact that our future commercial prosperity and the 
future general welfare of this country and of this state depend 
uot on our natural resources alone but mainly upon the intel- 
ligence and the ability of the people of this country and of 
this state. 

Wisconsin's natural resources are not so large as those of 
a number of other states. Her prosperity in the future is to 
be dependent not only upon the bounty of nature but upon the 
patience and hard-working qualities and the intelligence of 
her people. Her future greatest resource must l)e the superior 
intelligence of the individuals in their various vocations. 
Changing as we are from an almost exclusively agricultural 
into a manufacturing and agricultural state, we must jn-ovide 
>education adapted to both agriculture and manufactures. 
The older countries of the world and a number of the older 
states in this country have already built up a great manu- 
facturing population, and we must meet their comp^'tition 
while we are in this i)eriod of change. 

We have then to meet conditions in this country with which 
our fathers did not have to contend. ^ First, diminishing 
natural resources compel us to fully utilize those remaining. 
By study, by research, by enterprise, by training alone can 
this be accomplished Second, diminishing natural opportunity 
for the individual compels us to create that opportunity. If 
Ave desire the equality of opportunity which our falhei's luul. 
to continue, this must depend not mainly, as formerly, upon 
new land, or the chance to exploit mines (u* forests, but upon 
the l)rain power of the individual. This can be gained only 
through education which will fit him to meet his oavh needs 
and those of this state and country. Are we not. then, day 
by da.^ nearing the period of keen necessity — the time for 
fiction under stress .' 

Conservation of intelligence. 

Thorough preparation and scientific skill must take the 
place of the squandered gifts of nature and eventually the 



Extension of Industrial and xVgricultural Training. 5 

artificial bounty of tlie taritf. We cannot waste our resources 
in the future; \xe shall not have them to waste. We must con- 
serve them and use them seientifieally. An unsi-ientific 
worker surely eannot use the best methods unless he is taught. 
We must establish some means of teaching our people. It must 
come the same way as the development of manufacturing or 
the develcpinent of land — by the use of capital and the most 
improved business methods. The only way of developing the 
individual is through education ; no other way has yet been 
discovered nor Avill be. 

Special consideration has been given by the commission to 
the German system of education. The name of Germany is 
in everyone's mouth; because of her astonishing prosperity, 
that country has attracted the attention of all scholars and 
travelers. Germany by her wonderful system of democratic 
education, has met the real needs of her people. She has cul- 
tivated their intelligence, and by so doing she has cultivated 
her land and manufactures and built up her commerce and in- 
dustrial success. 

In America we have boasted of our ingenuity and of our 
native intelligence. These have kept us in the race, and we 
have kept our factory chimneys smoking. Primarily we have 
overcome our shameful waste of reserves which has resulted 
from the lack of thorough and far seeing scientific processes, 
b}' the splendid inventiveness, push, and ingenuity of our 
population ; that is, by the native intelligence of our people. 
We have seen generation after generation of manufacturing 
people in America change until our workmen show diminished 
skill and ability, and in some industries, lower standards of 
life. When our skilled workmen began to fail us, Ave imported 
them and with other rougher help, which we had obtained from 
all over the world, we have kept up our progress by the splen- 
did genius of our leaders. We have made the machine take 
the place of the skilled American mechanic of the past. The 
alert intelligence and ingenuity of the American has saved him 
for the present. In tool machinery, in standardized forms of 
various kinds, we have held our own in the past and we are 
still holding our own. But for how long? What of the future? 
HoAv are we prepared to meet competition under new condi- 
tions? Are our children, those who must win this fight. re~ 



<> Rei^out of TiiK Commission l'i>(»x Plans for tiik 

cciviiiii' 11h' ritilit prcparat ion for it .' Arc our masses of sturtly 
AVork(M-s iii'ltin^' the rouiidatioii which is llicir diio ami upon 
whicli the })rospiM-ity, yes, the inti'llijreme of the citizens, and 
eventually oui- imlnstrial peaee and prosperity depend .' Are 
they gettin<i' an education to meet their needs? 

Illiteracy. 

It is repoi'ted l)y the National Child Labor ("omniittee, taking' 
the country as a whole, that iu)t more than one-half of the 
children Avho Avent to school in the first grade go further than 
the sixth; that barely one in three completes the iirammar 
school course; that only one in five enters the high school; 
that five-sixths of those who enter, fail to graduate. AVhile 
conditions in many communities are better than here shown, 
the report of the Committee referred to, makes it appear that 
out of the entire body of pupils of the country, not more than 
one in thirty receives a complete education to the stage of 
graduation from the high school. From this small piu'centage 
of high school graduates mainly come the candidates for 
professional and managerial positions, and a large proportion 
of our business men and w^omen, "What," says this report, 
''becomes of the vast ma.jority of those yoinig people who fall 
out along the way? They Avho are most fortunate, find their 
Avay into the skilled trades. They who are least fortunate, go 
to fill the ranks in the army of the unemployed." 

It is evident that a large percentage of our children are not 
going to school. Far-reaching economic and social considera- 
tions are involved in this situation. The whole question of pover- 
ty and progress rises before us when we consider it. The future 
of our country and of our state and the happiness of our peo{>le 
is involved in the situation. No question is more momen- 
tous; no question means more to our homes and to the phy- 
sical and moral well-being of our people. We cannot brush 
it aside as England has attempted to do. and depend upon the 
empty vanity of believing forever in our native ability, or 
conclude that Americans are a superior race of people and 
that it will "come out all right in the end." Our state, strong 
and young, fitting itself for its industrial life and for its com- 
petition with older states and older peoples, needs to take 
account of stock and look to the future. 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 7 

Scope of report. 

It was recognized by your commission that a proper con- 
sideration of the full scope of the resolution of the legislature 
would involve two phases of educational development: (1) 
Industrial education which especially pertains to cities and to 
some extent, villages ; and ( 2 ) agricultural education which 
pertains mainly to the country. Both of these subjects are con- 
nected intimately with general questions of education. 

The recognition of the above led the commission to appoint 
two sub committees to consider the first two phases of the 
subject. Dr. Charles McCarthy was designated by the com- 
mission as a sub-committee to make a draft of the report upon 
industrial education. To the preparation of this report Dr. 
McCarthy has given much time. He spent several months in 
Germany, chiefly in the cities of Munich, Coblenz, Frankfurt. 
Cologne, and the region about Cologne. He also visited Great 
Britain and studied the industrial regions about London, and 
in the smaller manufacturing cities of Ireland. He also spent a 
short time in Belgium, chiefly in Brussels. Dr. jMcCarthy fur- 
ther visited the larger cities of the east, including New York. 
Boston. Lowell, and Pittsburg, in which industrial education 
is developed. 

For agricultural education a committee was appointed out- 
side of the commission, consisting of Dean H. L. Russell, 
Professor E. C. Elliott, and Professor K. L. Hatch. 

The reports contained herewith upon these subjects are 
largely the work of these sub-committees. However, they have 
been twice or thrice revised by the commission as a whole, 
and as printed they represent not simply the views of the sub- 
committees but those of the entire commission. 

Salaries and teachers. 

Closel.v connected witli the subjects of industrial edu- 
cation and agricultural education is the question of teachers' 
salaries. In order to make the movement successful for vo- 
cational training there is the same necessity for a minimum 
salary hnv that there is for education of other types. 

Our system of education for the preparation of teachers for 
the public schools should be so altered and improved as to give 
a better grade of nioi and ivomen as teachers, and this applies 



8 KKroKT OF Tin: Cu.m mission Upon Plans for the 

to all classes of schools. At the same time the demaiKl is 
for ability aiul service thai eaimot be seenred at the current 
prices. Thirty, forty, or even til'ty dollai-s ])er month is not 
enough to attract men and Avomen ^vho must earn a living- 
and who are really competent to do the wirk that )^h nld be 
done; nor enough to justify tliat tliorouuii training necessary 
for proper results. 

As a partial solution of this i)rol)lem, llie enactnieni of a 
minimum salary law has, and is. being urgetl from many 
quarters. Without doubt, such a law. framed so as to place a 
premium upon thorough general and special training, would 
accomplish much for the improvement of industrial and agri- 
cultural edmation. Investigations that have already been 
made concerning the situation in Wisconsin show conclusively 
that a law fixing the minimum salaries of teachers Avould 
necessitate some form of special state aid in order to etiablc 
a very large number of school districts in all sections of the 
state to meet the increased expenditures. The practice of cer 
tain other states, Indiana and Ohio, in particular, of setting 
aside each year a special state fund to enable communities to 
pay suitable teachers' salaries, and in other ways properly sup- 
port the school, would seem to be worthy of consideration by 
the legislature. 

American experience for a hundred years at least has proven 
conclusively that until the salarv^ scale of teachers is raised 
and maintained at a level above that now obtaining, it will not 
be possible to secure effective industrial and agricultural 
teaching. A living wage must l)e guaranteed to every com- 
petent teacher, and every connnunity in the state slnmld be 
able to pay this wage without an over burden of taxation. 

Special school of normal grade. 

Under the present law. the state normal school graduate is 
qualified to teach in any elementary or secondary school within 
the state. But as the normal school courses of study are at 
present organized, these graduates can hardly be expected to 
prepare teachers effectively for the industrial and agricultural 
subjects recommended to be introduced in the elementary and 
secondary rural schools. 

The number of teachers of agriculture and domestic science 
that will be required in the state, if the recommendations sub- 



Extension or Industrial and Agricitltural Training. 9 

mitted are carried out, will be so large that some special pro- 
vision slionld be made for the preparation of teachers for 
these subjects. This can probably be best done in some special 
school. Your Commission, therefore, recommends the develop- 
ment of a state institution whose prime function shall be the 
training of elementary teachers in industrial and agricultural 
subjects. 

Independent high schools. 

One other general statement should be made. At the present 
time some fourteen high schools in the larger cities, some- 
times called the independent high schools, since they have not 
complied with the terms of the law in reference to free high 
schools, do not receive from the state any aid for vocational 
training. It seems to the commission that so far as these high 
schools have courses in manual arts and domestic science, 
and so far as they introduce courses in agriculture, that they 
should be placed upon the same basis in reference to state aid 
as the free high schools of the state. 

The recommendations submitted bj- the commission are 
given beloAv. The facts upon which these recommendations 
are based are to be found mainly in the accompanying papers 
upon industrial education and agricultural education. A num- 
ber of bills will be submitted to the legislature putting into con- 
crete form the recommendations of the commission. 



RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION. 

The Comndssion respectfully submit for the consideration 
of the legislature the following recommendations. 



A. INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION. 

1. Advisory Board. — That a temporary state advisory board 
for industrial education be appointed by the governor and 
that an assistant and other officers Avhose duty it shall be to 
supervise and encourage industrial education shall be added 
to the state superintendent's office: said assistant to be ap- 



10 l^EPOKT OP THE Co.MMISMOX I'l'ON PlaNS FOR TIIK 

|)(tiiil('(l by the state superinteiuleDt with tlie approval of the 
boai'd of industrial ('chu-atioii. 

2. Local Boards. — That tlici'c he cstahlishcd in every coii- 
mniiity, wliere industrial educalidn is undcrljiken. 1 ical hmirds 
of the same general nature as the temporaiy state atlvisory 
board, Avliieh board shall have similar control in theii- loealities 
over industrial education and evening schools. 

3. Continuation Schools. — That, as soon as school facili- 
ties can be provided for children betAvoen 14 and 16 years of 
age alread>' in industry, they he compelled to go to school 
a specified time each -week; that this time shall be expended as 
far as possible in industrial training; and that the hours of 
labor for such ehildren shall not exceed 8 hoiu's ])er day for 
six days of each week, which time shall include the time spent; 
by each student in vocational schools. 

4. State Aid. — That after careful investigation by the 
boards establiished for this purpose, continuation schools, trade 
schools, and evening schools shall be gradually established in 
the state, and that state aid shall be given for tlies(> ])urposes. 
under strict limitations as to methods and in such a manner 
that all training given in such schools can be combined into 
a harmonious and economical system. 

5. Apprentice Laws. — That the apprentice laws of the 
state be changed so as to expand them and bring them up to 
date, in order that the apprenticeship system may be put in 
close and harmonious J'elation with the educational system. 

6. University Extension. — That the appropriation for the 
extension division of the university be increased iu order 
that this division may form a flexible element in the gradual 
development of industrial and commercial education of the 
state. 



EXTENiSION OF Ixorsr'RIAL AND AGRICtl.TlRAL TRAINING. 11 



P,. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 

7. County Training- Schools. — That the courses of study 
ill the eoniily trainni.u- schools be modified su as to contain 
not less than one unit of ati'i'icultui'e. and as soon as practicable 
two units of ayricuiture. It is suggested that where desirable, 
the services of the traveling instructors in agriculture, in item 
1 4 below. l)e utilized for this work. 

8. Consolidated Rural Schools. — That a central board of 
education, composed of five members elected at large, be 
created for each county, this board to have power in particular, 
(a) to employ a county superintendent of schools; (b) to con- 
solidate school districts and discontinue schools when such will 
contribute to the betterment of education of the children ; that 
such consolidated schools receive state aid equal to that granted 
to state graded schools, namely, $200 per annum for a two 
department school and $300 per annum for a three department 
school : and that additional state aid to an equal amount be 
granted to those consolidated schools which introduce not less 
than two units of agriculture or agriculture and domestic 
economy, provided that these courses of study and the teachers 
therein be approved by the state superintendent. 

9. State Graded Schools. — That additional state aid equi- 
valent in amount to that they now receive be granted to such 
state graded schools as introduce not less than two units of 
agriculture, or agriculture and domestic economy, namely, 
$200 per annum for a two department school and $300 per an- 
num for a three department school, provided that these 
courses of study and the teachers therein be approved by the 
state superintendent. 

10. Township High Schools. — That additional annual state 
aid equal in amount to that now granted for manual training be 
granted to township high schools conditional upon the intro- 
duction of not less than two units of agriculture or agriculture 
and domestic economy, provided these courses of study and the 
teachers therein be approved by the state superintendent. 



32 Keport oI'' the Commission I'fox Plans for the 

11. Village and City Schoals. — That additional state aid 
equal in anioiiiit ti) that noAV granted for manual training be 
granted to all villiagc and eit>^ high schools conditioned upon 
the introduction of not less than Iavo units of agriculture or 
of agriculture and domestic economy, provided that these 
courses of study and the teachers therein l)e approved l)y the 
state superintendent, 

12. County Agricultural Schools. — That the present law 
pertaining to state aid for county agricultural schools be 
amended so as to change the amount which may be paid by the 
state to any one school from $4,000 to $6,000; Init Avith the 
provision that if more than $4,000 be paid by the state that 
the county shall contribute not less than an equal amount. 

13. College of Agriculture. — That the college of agriculture 
establisli a ''continuation course" for the graduates of the 
county schools of agriculture, to which those Avho have com- 
pleted the so-called "short course" in agriculture may also 
be admitted. 

14. Traveling Instructors in Agriculture. — That the appro- 
priation for agi'icultuval field sei'vice ho autliorized to provide 
for the appointment of itinerant instructors in agriculture, 
the services of whom may be utilized by counties in various 
lines of agricultural Avork. 



C. GENERAL. 

15. Minimum Salary Law. — That a minimum salary laAv be 
passed Avhich shall apply to all teachers in industrial and agri- 
cultural subjects, and Avhich Avhile placing emphasis upon 
thorough-going general training shall place an additional 
premium upon special preparation for the teaching of agri- 
cultural and industrial subjects. 

16. Training of Teachers. — That adequate provision be made 
in some state institution of normal school grade and in the 
county training schools for the establishment of courses of 
instruction in industrial an<l agricultural education and the 



Extension of Indl-.-v^-rial and Agricultural Training. 13 

extension of courses already in existence of a character that 
will give proper emphasis to industrial and agricultural train- 
ing. 

17. Independent High Schools. — That the high schools in 
the state other than- the free high schools, commonly known 
as the independent high schools, shall receive state aid for 
manual training, agriculture, and domestic economy, to the 
same extent that state aid is granted to free high schools for 
these purposes. 



14 Hki'ort ok TiiK C()m:\iissi()n I'lox I'laxs for tiik 



PART II. 

Industrial Education. 

Germany. 

Germany started her present prosperity with poor resources ; 
her hind "vvas poor and for hundreds of years the country was 
devastated by wasting wars. The mineral resources were 
slender, the peoph^ were not traiiieil as tlie English hy ages 
of manufacturing and connnercial etfort. (fermany was a 
country of peasantry. Yet by well directed effort she clianged 
all lliis. (lernianj-'s present prosperity is bascvl ujx)!! a pur- 
poseful effort to educate her ])eople. Her economists recog- 
nized the fact that nothing could win in the end except the in- 
telligence of the individual man. Says Frank Vanderlip: "I 
liave made a somewhat careful study of Germany's economic 
success, and in doing that I have become firmly convinced 
that the explanation of the remarkable German progress is 
to l)e traced in the most direct manner to the German system 
of education. The schoolmaster is the great cornerstone of 
(icrmany's great commercial and industrial progress. The 
school system of Germany bears a relation to the ecoiu)mic 
situation that is not met with in any other country." Shad- 
well, the author of a book upon industrial efficiency, lias nuulc 
a careful study of the conditions in America. England and 
Germany, and says: "The (German) manufacturers give liberal 
support to the schools and further eiu'ourage them by iriving 
employment to the graduates, and there is no doubt it i>ays 
them. A manufacturer in Elberficld was showing me one 
day a length of dress material 'That.' he said, 'is going tv> 
England and it is nuidc of English stuff. I get the materials 
from England, manufacture them and send them ba(d<. I pay 
carriage both Avgys, and yet I can sell this in English markets.' 
'ITow can vou manage to do it?' I asked. 'Well.' he said, 'you 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 15 

see this is a uice design. There is brains in it.' It was a 
good ansAvcr, and I am inclined to believe the whole answer, 
for it pays higher wages and more for coal than mannfactnrers 
of similar goods in Yorkshire, and there are no kartells 
(trusts) in the business." 

Here, then, is the whole German secret — brains, trained in- 
telligence. The decline of p]ngland and the desperate efforts 
now being used by England to regain her prestige in the race 
Avith Germany for the commerce of the world, is a cause worthy 
of our profound study. America is not England, but neverthe- 
less the lesson should not be lost upon us. The Englishman has 
felt that P]ngland. "somehow or another," has always pulled 
out of difficulties. Therefore, revelling in this supposed se- 
curity, the English have not given sufficient care, until very 
recently, to the causes of the enormous success of Germany in 
manufacturing and marketing her goods. 

The startling prevalence of illiteracy in our own country 
should at least appeal to our selfish instincts and alarm us as 
to business conditions in the future. Our American education, 
and our secondary schools especially have been our boast ; 
for a long while they Avere the wonder of the world. The 
education of the people, "the pride in the little red school 
house." and the common school of our fathers has ])roduced 
that intelligence which has been the healthy foundation of 
our homes. But we are now standing still in our own self- 
satisfaction with the past, M'hile other countries are forging 
ahead. Our boasted democratic education yet leaves much 
to be accomplished if the statistics we have quoted are correct. 

The jMosely commission when it came to xVme'rica asked 
the rpiestion : "How is it that the United States can aff'ord to 
pay a half dollar in wages where we pay a shilling, and yet 
compete with us in the markets of the world?" With just 
pride we could give the answer that our intelligence enters 
into the process of production; that the intelligence of our 
people (and the wages which we pay are because of that in- 
telligence) gives us our peculiar advantage in competing for 
the markets of the world. If we lose this relative intelligencf-; 
through a change in the character of our people and the failure 
to adjust our school system to the needs of the times then we 
lose the advantage which we have had in the past. But a school 



IG KkI'ORT of the Co.MiMlSt<IUN I'PON PLANS FOR THE 

system cannot stand still any more than a business can stand 
still. It must be kept up to date and must fit the needs as 
the needs ai'ise, or else it nmst sink back. 

This is not a history of the development of (Jermany or of 
the decline of England. A discussion of these topics does not 
belong here. There are many causes for the growth of prosper- 
ity of Germany and of the failure of England to keep pace, 
but there is no gainsaying the fact that there is no cause 
which has been of greater significance than the Oennun em- 
phasis upon the industrial and coiiiniercial education. The 
fact that the Germans are going into tlie commei'cial lUMrkets 
and underselling us is shown by cold, dry statistics. Their 
young men have been taught Innv to sell their prnducc and to 
meet scientifically the wants of the world. From liiuh authority, 
we learn that the amount of German sales in the T'nited States 
has increased nearly 100 per cent since 1900; but to the Eng- 
lish colonies. South America, China and the entire world, Ger- 
man products are going in a great stream overwhelming and 
driving the commerce of all nations from the sea. 

We have these facts before us, but your committee has not 
started out to copy the methods of Germany. But it ha-f started 
out to study the best educational methods to be found which 
will in any way help us to better our conditions here. We can- 
not entirely apply German methods to our work. "What ap- 
pears to the German as superficial in our education, sometimes 
is the basis of that «|uickness of comprehension, that intui- 
tive insight and readiness which cannot be replaced by the 
tremendous care and ponderous exactness of certain German 
methods. In a report like this we must not be misled. We 
must not forget that things happen slowly, develop slowly, 
and that peoples differ in temperament. The psychology and 
the' general make-up of the people, and the physical character- 
istics of the country must be taken into account. AVe must 
not impose upon our state, methods which spoil the quick 
brains and originality of the Americans, or which, in any 
way, would tend to destroy the good things whicli we have; 
but rather we must build upon what Ave already have and add 
to it from the best of all other lands. Desjiite Germany's 
tremendous advance, the past record of the American, when 
thoroughly aroused gives ground for the belief that he can 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 17 

duplicate by ingeiiius and more direct methods, at a far 
smaller cost, what has been done in Germany. We have a 
better basis from Avhich to start. 

The array drill-like plan of the German educational system 
will not succeed in this country. Leaders of men are born, 
and cannot be made by education alone. But nevertheless 
it is foolish to deny that the young American captain of in- 
dustry needs much training and drill to supplement his natural 
ability and genius. 

Your committee has found in Germany on the whole the most 
which is suggestive in formulating plans to improve Wisconsin 
conditions. Knowing that the time must necessarily be short, 
our representative confined himself strictly to the questions 
which are coming up in our own state, and contented him- 
self with the examination of a few cities, and, as far as 
possible, of industrial conditions which are similar to those 
in Wisconsin. Knowing that the subject of industrial education 
in Germany has been often described, and that volumes have 
been issued on the subject, both in German and in English, 
he confined himself to a study of the manner in which the 
German system can be applied to our conditions, and made 
every effort to learn how much of the system can be and how 
much cannot be applied. Our investigator examined par- 
ticularly the elements of success in the German system ; the 
little ways of management and little points in organization 
which are so necessary in the beginning of a fundamental 
movement such as contemplated by your committee. He was 
impressed by the fact that the German is a scholar; he loves 
schools; he loves education; and is not afraid to make large 
investments in industrial education. , He was impressed by the 
effort made by the Germans to educate the people so that each 
man could fit into the great line of economic progress. The 
success of this great movement, begun years ago, is now felt 
in Germany. It has been rolling up and gathering force ; the 
investment was large, but wisely made, and now the nation 
is gathering the income. 

Heavy investment in Germany. — In considering the specific 
causes of Germany's educational success in detail, the first 
point which astonishes one is the heavy investment made in 
2 



18 TxKPORT oi" TiiK Commission T'pox Plans for tiik 

industrial education. Suffice it to say that nearly every small 
village has at least one industrial school, and often in small 
cities several are found. In Ilanau, a place not very mudi 
larger than ]\Iadison, there are 5 industrial or commcri-ial 
schools, including an industrial art school and also what is 
practieally a mechanical engineering school. The cciuipment 
of some of these schools is very complete and costly, hut in 
most instances is very economical and surprisingly simple. The 
huildings are well adapted to the work in hand. Some idea 
of the investment can be obtained from the fact that the little 
province of Wurttemburg, which has a i)opulation less than 
Wisconsin by at least one-fourth of a million persons and 
will eh is on the w^hole a poor, hilly country with very poor 
transportation facilities, has, besides its splendid system of 
elementary and secondary schools, about 250 industrial schools 
in its towns and villages, 1 knitting school, 8 weaving schools, 
2 industrial w(»rk shops for actiud practiic in weaving. 2 
technical schools for textile and mechanical work, a large state 
university, a technical university, a royal building trade 
school (a trade school for building purposes ^i. a great com- 
mercial college, several commercial improvement schools, a 
great agricultural school, many farming schools, similar to 
our county agricultural schools here, an art trade school for 
industrial art, a pure art school and many miscellaneous schools 
of all kinds for workmen of varioiLs grades, evening schools, 
contiiniation schools, etc., including schools in domestic econo- 
my for women. The tremendous investment made by this little 
province is far beyond anything of which we. in our prosperity 
have thought. 

The same thing can be found in nearly all the other coun- 
tries of Europe today. France is full of state supported in- 
dustrial high schools, commercial institutes, industrial schools 
of various kinds. The investment of the different cities of 
Switzerland and Belgium has been tremendous. 

In one of these schools in iMunich, our investigator found 
equipment and work-shops in the following woi-k : electric mo- 
tive power; electric lighting; locksmith and machine forging: 
l»()ol< printing and lithography; cabinet makng; stucco work; 
carving; chain making; metal work ; plumbing fittings ; tinsmith 
work, and photography. There are in ]\Iunich about sixty 
continuation classes. A great many industrial schools are 



Extension of iNDuarmAL and Agricultural Training. 19 

inaiiilained both by the city of Munieli and by the kingdom 
of Bavaria. 

The amount of money invested in these seliool.s shows that 
these countries realize the im})ortanee of this work, and are 
not afraid to invest in- it, as the results obtained have been 
so Avonderful. They are not waiting for something to happen 
and endeavoring to remedy conditions at heavy cost as the 
English and the Americans seem to think the right way to do. 
They are investing heavily for the future. 

Practical nature of the work. — Almost without exception 
there is in Germany a correlation between the industrial con- 
ditions in the cities or towns in which these schools exist 
and tlie industrial schools. In fact, it is impo.ssible to define 
exactly a (German industrial school. Each city meets the 
problem dift'erently. Each tries to adapt the teaching to its 
own needs and sometimes the curriculum in a school in a certain 
village is entirely different from that in every other comnumit.^'. 
The schools are a striking reflex of the industrial conditions 
of the communities in which they .are found. The reason lor 
this can no doubt be found in the gradual growth of these 
schools and in the masterly way in Avhich the German has de- 
termined to make them meet the wants of the great masses 
of the people. Instead of starting with a few costly trade 
and technical schools as we have done in America, they have en- 
couraged a gradual growth in the entire field of industrial edu- 
cation, and they have put the emphasis ui)on the average num 
of an industry and the teaching of the average workman at 
the beiu'li or at the machine. They have realized that the 
success of an enterprise depends in the long run upon the men 
in the ranks. The Germans have realized that in ages gone 
by, other nations have not met success by merely educating 
a few at the top and neglecting the men in the ranks. They 
have realized that such an education has not ))rought the 
results that it should; that the varit)us civilizations of the 
past have deelined because the average man has not received 
the help he deserved. The great German statesmen and econo- 
mists have evidently been wise in their selection of remedies 
for their condition. They are. now putting as much strength 
into building uj) the average man — the average workman — as 
in building up the higher education, although the investment 



lMI IxKi'dKT OF TiiK Commission Ti-ox Plans for the 

in liiglu'i' institutions is as great in proportion as ours, if not 
greater. The teelmical schools of (.'olh'giate grade are splendid, 
yet is is to these miseellaneous eontiniiat ion schools that Ger- 
many owes a great measure of her success. 

Continuation schools. — Your committee believes that it is 
the German industrial continuation school Avhich es[)ecially 
deserves our study. Having considered the statistics showing 
the percentage of children who are to be fitted for industrial 
life in America, your committee believes that our greatest 
efforts lie in doing something where nothing has been done — in 
meeting in some way, hoAvever meager, the innnediate wants of 
the many. The German continuation school is made possible by 
the fact that practically everyone is compelled to go to school 
until he is 14 years of age. From 14 to 18 he is compelled to 
go to school a certain portion of his time. This would average 
perhaps a day in a week. He maj' go to school in some places 
from 4 to 6 in the afternoon ; in other places and other trades. 
2 mornings a week, and in still other places (and this is the 
popular way) he may go to school for 1 day in a week; hut 
he musi go io school. The reason for this is the sensible way 
in which tlie Germans have studied out a plan for replacing 
the apprenticeship system, now w'orn out becaase of the growth 
of the modern factory system and the minute division of 
labor entailed ])y this system. Foi'merly a man could learn 
shoemaking; he was apprenticed to a shoemaker for 3 to 4 
years and taught his trade. Noav there are many distinct 
processes in shoemaking and the result is that the workman 
who is learning one of these processes, does not learn the others, 
and consequently is thrown out of work Avith any change in 
that particular process. Perhaps he is thrown out of Avork just 
at the tinu' Avhen he is supporting a family or trying to ywy a 
mortgage on a little home. The Germans, taking the remnants 
of the apprentice system, Avhieh of coui*se still exists here and 
there, have added to it tlu> continuation school. 

The apprentice in the jcAvelry firm l)egins Avork, Ave AA'ill say 
at 14 years of age. On Friday or Saturday he has to go to 
school. In that school he may have one hour of German, 
one hour of free hand draAving, one hour of plastic design, 
one hour of commercial geography and in general everything 



Extension of Indusprial and Agricultural Trainixg. 21 

"vvhich Avill give him a broad view of the other departments 
of the work in which he is engaged. If he is a merchant's 
clerk, he may be given a course in a mercantile continuation 
school, which would teach him how to buy and sell, do ac- 
counting and to understand the general features of a thorough 
commercial education. Everything is applied directly to the 
business in which he finds himself, and which perhaps in his 
own town or village is a specialty. For instance, the city of 
ITanau is largely engaged in jewelry work. Instruction in sell- 
ing jewelry and the manlifacture of jewelry is the chief work 
of the continuation school. Continuous classes are held in most 
■eases so that in the industrial sclu)ol where boys l)etween 
14 and 20 years of age and even men up to 25 or 30 go to school 
from 2 to 4 years to learn trades, there are also many boys 
coming in every day of the week from different manufacturing 
establishments. Evening classes are also held, but if a boy goes 
to an evening class, the manufacturer is compelled to allow 
him a certain num])er of hours each day away from his work, 
so that the total number of hours for the evening school and 
day work is not greater than one day's work. This is also the 
law in Scotland. The classes are small in these schools, and 
the "task" system is so used that a class may include one boy 
who is doing very elementary work, and another who is 
finishing the highest task given by the teacher. The consider- 
ation of these questions and their application to the con- 
ditions in AVisconsin will l)e taken up later. 

The following is a brief abstract of the imperial law of June 
1, 1891, relating to the establishment and regulation of these 
schools in Germany. It is taken from a bulletin prepared by 
xVrthur J. Jones for the United States department of educa- 
tion. 

"Sec. 120. The masters in any branch of industry are 
bound hereby, in the case of their workers under the age 
of 18 who attend an institution recognized by the authori- 
ties of their district or their state as a continuation school, 
to allow them the time fixed as necessary for such institu- 
tion by the authorities. * * * Through the ordinance 
of a district council or any wider communal body, attend- 
ance at a continuation school may be made obligatory for 
all male Avorkers under the age of 18. In the same way. 



22 l\i:i'oirr of the Commission Ti-ox Plans for the 

pi'DjxT i'(\uiil;iti<uis may Itf made 1<) smirc the cxecutiini 
of siu'li -cin ordinance. In partieiilar, regulations may bo 
passed to insure regular attendance and to determine the 
duties of parents or employers in this respect, and notices 
may he issued by whicli or*ianizat ions in the conliiiuation 
sclu)ol and a proper relation of the scliolars to it may be as- 
sured. From the compulsory attendance based ou such an 
ordinance are exempted oidy those persons Avho attend 
another continuation or technical school, provided tliat tlie 
instruction given in such school be recognized by the 
higher authorities as a complete eciuivalent for that given 
in the general continuation school (allgemeine Fortljil- 
dungseliule) * * * 

''Sec. 150. A breach of section 120 of this law is imnish- 
able by a fine of not exceeding 20 marks, or. in case of 
non-payment of such fine, by imprisonment for a term not 
exceeding three days." 

The law is not compulsory in the whole empire, but alloAvs 
every division to establish this system. The result is that the 
continuation schools are much more highly develoi)ed in Uava- 
ria ov Wurttemburg than in Prussia. 

The manner in which these schools touch every i)hase of life 
can be comprehended by a glance at the following tables of 
schools in Munich taken from the second annual report of the 
commission of industrial education of ^Massachusetts : 



Extension of iNDUsrRiAL and Agriclt^tural Training. 



23 



I. LIEBHKRRSCHULE (UNITED TRADE COXTINUATIOX SCHOOLS). 



Indnstry 



Bookbinder 

Turner 

Druggist, sundries ;ind colors 

Glazier 

Chimney sweep 

Coacliman 

Stone and brick mason 

Saddler and trunk maker 

Cooper 

Lockniaker (building and artistic locks) 

Smith 

Joiner (building and cabinet maker)... 

Upholsterer and decorator 

Potter and stove builder 

Watehmal:' •• 

Wheelwright 

Carpenter 



Number of 
classes 



Hours per 
week 



71/2 



9 

9 

8 
71/2 



Period of 

required 

school work 

(Tears) 



3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

31/2 

3 

4 

3 

3 



2-1: Report of the Commission Tpox Plans for ti.ie 



II. FRAMKSCHri.K (rxrrKD TRADK CoXTINlA'I'lOX .SCHOOLS). 



Inilustry 



NumbPr of 
classes 



Hours per 
week 



Period of 

required 

seliool worVc 

(Years) 



Bookprinter nnd typesetter 

Litliogrnplicr-Litliographic printer 

Macliinist (iron turner, iron moulder, boiler 
maker, maehinery blaeksmith, and pattern 
maker) 

Mechanician (electrician, worker on liglit or 
heavy machinery, optician) 

Metal caster and chain maker (also chaser 
metal turner, metal grinder and modeler)... 

Photographer and zinc plate worker 

Lockmaker (building and artistic locks) 

Joiner (building and furniture") 

Plumber, fitter, metal turner 

Stucco worker or ornamental sculptor 

Tinsiuitli 



10 







4 


9 




11 


10 




1.1 


13 




6 


8 




3 


10 


3 


6 


9 


3 


3 


9 


3 


6 


8 


3 


3 


9 


4 


1 


8 


3 



III. ELIZAUKTH.SCHULE (UNITED TRADE COXTINUATIOX SCHOOLS). 



Industry 



Coppersmith 

Lockmaker (building and artistic locks) 
Joiner (building and furniture) 



Number of 
classes 



Hours per 
week 



Period of 

required 

school work 

(Tears) 



314 

3 

3 



IV. GOTZIXGERSCHULE (UNITED TRADE CONTIXUATION SCHOOLS). 



Industry 



Number of 
classes 



Hours per 
week 



Period of 

required 

school work 

(Years) 



Lockmaker (building and artistic locks). 
Joiner (building and furniture) 



Extension of iNori^rRiAL and Agriclxtural Training. 



DETACHKD TRADE COXTIXUATIOX SCHOOLS. 



IiKlustry 



Bather, barber, wig maker 

Baker 

Fresco painter, varnislier 

Gariif ner 

Hotel keeper (including liotel carving) 

"Wood carver 

Jeweler, gold and silver worker 

Merchant 

Confectioner, pastry cook 

Butcher 

Tailor 

Clerk and office as.sistant 

Shoemaker 

Gilder 

Dental worker 



Number of 
classes 



Hours per 
week 



Period of 

required 

school work 

(Years) 



3 

3 

i 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4 

3 

3 

3 

3 

31/3 

3 

3 



The eour.so ( f study in the industrial continuation schools for 
machinists' apprentices in Munich is as follows: 



Subjects. 



Religion 

Trade calculation and bookkeeping 
Business composition and reading. 

Studies of life and citizenship 

Mechanical drawing 

Physics and mechanics 

Machinery 

Materials and shop work 



Class I 



Hours of Instruction 



Class II Class III Class IV 



2() Report of tiiI': Commission I'i-on I'lans foi^ tiif 

In the bi'^iuing-, only a IVw of these classes were organized 
as the need became evident. There always remained boys in 
nnskilled or miseellaneous work. General continuation classes 
were founded for them, and as courses could be provided for 
special trades or pursuits, sejiarate courses were instituted for 
such trade or pursuit. Those Avho remained in the general 
courses, were given general luaiiual training, literature, arith- 
metic, citizenship, etc. Schools of like natui'e exist for girls, 
and special classes have been rapidly organized in the different 
work- in which the girls are employed. Above the continuation 
coui'se are a. great variety of schools, lower industrial schools, 
middle industrial schools, higher industrial schools, and special 
schools of all ranks and descriptions, apparently not strictly 
classified and differing in curriculum and standard from city 
to city and from division to division of the empire, making a 
wh()!(> gi'eat ii-regular democratic educational system, fitted to 
the needs of the different localities in a wonderful manner, and 
meeting the conditions much better than if they were regularly 
classified and standardized. 

Administration. — After a very severe trial, reaching over a 
periotl of y(>ai's, it was found that the inevitable tendency of all 
industrial schools was to become theoretical and to turn out 
theoretical students rather than ])i'actical men who would be 
of use in building up the industrial resources and commercial 
prosperity of the country. The history of this education in 
Germany shows that the attitude of mind of the ordinary school 
teacher does not allow him to take hold of this problem and 
■work it out as it should be worked out. It is necessary to have 
some check upon his theoretical inclinations and to give some 
aid to him in the practical solution of industrial questions. 

After a long period of trial, the Germans have established 
almost universally, local committees of business men, manufac- 
turers and Avorkmen who control these schools, wherever they 
are. The result is that the manufacturers and the working 
peoi)le take the utmost pride and interest in these schools, and 
watch closely their development. They are naturally looking 
after their own interest, and in so doing help the industries in 
which they are engaged. In talking with the heads of the in- 
dustrial schools in Germanv one is impressed by the fact that 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultlral Training. 27 

these meu always say that if the employers would only allow 
them to have the boys for full time or have them for longer peri- 
ods and would not interfere so much with the management of 
the school, that they could do splendid work. Of course it be- 
comes apparent after careful examination that their complaint 
is groundless. The general history of indusrial education in this 
country, as well as the German experience, shows us that if 
these schools are all put on a full time basis, the bo,y who works 
in the factory and earns his living after he is 14 years of age 
is gradually crowded out and schools are formed which turn 
out engineers professional or cultured men, but which do not 
meet the needs of the great mass of the people. If these were 
all full time schools and the princij^als allowed to do as they 
pleased, the schools would not meet the demand as they do now. 
They would not reach as many boys. It is far better to have 
the management of the schools in the hands of the employers 
^nd employees than to be hampered by the theoretical stand- 
point which inevitably would result if the teachers or school 
men had it all in their own hands. 

Of course there is this tendency ; that if the practical men 
control it entirel.y they will work with purely commercial 
motives, will not be far-seeing, and will be tempted to get quick 
results rather than to build deep foundations. Nevertheless 
so strong has been the tendency to theorize in this work that the 
manufacturers and employers of Germany just barely hold their 
OAvn in keeping the teaching from becoming too theoretical. 
Even Avith these precautions and all these checks, there is no 
doubt that if there if a fault with the splendid system, it is on 
the side of too much attention to theoretical and technical 
work. There is a constant pull in that direction, and the only 
thing that has saved the plan has been the great, sound, com- 
mon sense of employers and employees. 

Teachers. — Another great element in the success of this work 
is the kind of teachers employed. Formerly, before any atten- 
tion was given to the fitting of teachers for this work, teachers 
from the ordinary schools were employed. The result was not 
good. The securing of teachers well grounded in new methods 
was one of the hardest tasks in the entire German industrial 
educational scheme. It has not yet been settled. It was easy 
to get teachers of manual training with pedagogic ideas, but it 



28 KkI'ORT ok TIIK ("OM.MISSJON I'loN 1*1. ANS FOR THE 

was lianl to get practical woi'kcrs who could teach practical 
things. Tlie practical woi'kcr was iiol always a good teacher. 
Evei'v means lias hceii used to get the right kind of teachers. 
A'ery wisely indeetl the Cieriiiaiis have paid the teachers in this 
work highei' wages than foi* similar grades in the othei- schools; 
they have laid the stress and em[)hasis upon this work. In 
almost every place one sees men teaching in these schools who 
are really ai'fists in their work. The committees of manufac- 
turers and cnij)loyers see lo it that this is the case. A theoreti- 
cal or unlit teacher has a hard tiane of it under the sharp and 
vigilant eyes of these lo(.'al committees. Sjx'cial inducements 
have been held out for good Avorknuni. Pi'ivate rooms have- 
l)eeii furnished in the schools where they ean carry on their re- 
searches in (diemistry; where they can design new patterns iu' 
fabrics; where they can work in the arts and crafts or sciences; 
or where they can nuuuifacture beautiful ware or design indus- 
trial })atterns for themselves. Every man has, in fact, a studio. 
Recently, special schools for teachers in industrial teaching 
have been founded, -where men and women are specially trained. 
The Germans have realized that after all it is the trained per- 
sonality that does everything. It is not the ecjuipment. but it 
is the person. It is iu)t the building, but the human Ix'ing who 
makes the things, and th<' hunum element in this, means suc- 
cess in Germany even if the huge e(|uipment and investment 
did not exist. 

Task system. — There is another element which has been 
neglected by most of tlie investigators of the German industrial 
educational system. That is the "task system" which is in 
vogue there. Small classes of from 16 to 20 are usual, and the 
"tasks" are assigned for each member in the class. All Avho 
are prepared alike begin at the same "task." If a boy has but 
one day in the week in "which to do his Avork. he can come in 
and Avork at his "task." It may be that he has to make a 
piece of stucco design work. AVhen he has finished that, he 
will go on to the next "task." Right beside him in the room 
are men who are perhaps working every day. learning a trade 
in the ti-ade school. These men of course have many mor*^ 
"tasks" completed than the part time student but are under 
the same teacher. Perhaps some one is working a few hours 
at night or s<nne part of the da.v. Om^ nmn ma.v be Avorking 



Extension of Indus'-'kial and Agrici'ltural Training. 29 

.at "task*' number 3, another at "task" nuiiil)er 20. another at 
"task'' number GO. but 16 of these men constitute 1 ehiss under 
1 teacher. It is a ([uestion of individual ability and the amount 
of tasks completed rather than a (luestion of a certain amount 
of time put in to advance a grade. The whole thing adds to 
the simplicity and economy of management. In the small vil- 
lage, instead of having 1 evening school, 1 art school or 1 in- 
dustrial school, these are all combined in 1 building and the 
only division is the division of time of the teacher or teachers 
Avho oversee the different kinds or work in the building. 

How can German methods be applied in Wisconsin? — All ot 

the foregoing is descriptive. It is the summarized statement 
of what actually exists in a foreign country. It has no merit 
over reports which have come out upon this subject except in 
the fact that it is summarized. Can we take the methods which 
Iiave been found successful in these other countries and apply 
them to our state? 

There is no doubt we have dilt'erent conditions in Wisconsin 
from those in Germany, but there are certain elements in our 
life in Wisconsin which are not so very difif'erent from those in 
that country. Germany was originally a farming country; it 
had to undergo a very great change in order to become a great 
nicinufaeturing country, as well as a farming country. We in 
Wisconsin are develoi)ing our manufactures as well as our 
agriculture. We have much of the German blood in our popu- 
lation : we have a growth of small manufacturing villages where 
many of the farmers' sons are being turned into workmen in 
the factories. Wisconsin, then, is becoming gradually a state 
of small manufacturing towns, either German or Scandinavian 
for the most part, which have grown up around small factories. 
Our problem, then, is very similar to that of Germany a few 
years ago. Germany has now 40 or 50 years' start of us in 
industrial education. We find that there are few evening 
schools in Wisconsin. We find that there are at least 10-1.000 
illiterates in our state, a large part of them recent immigrants: 
we have but 2 public schools teaching industrial employment 
other than agriculture; we have many p^ivate business col- 
leges, we have business training of a certain kind in our high 
schools, and we have some Y. M. C. A. evening classes ; but on 
the wlntle. this vast field of industrial education has bee]i 



W Report of the Commission T'pon Plans for the 

iiegkH'ted. It is true we liave tlie eonipulsory sehool l;nv passed 
a short time ag:o, -which compels seliool attendance up to 14 
years of age. This hiw is not yet working as it should he. hut 
Ave have found that it is of great service to us. If we did not 
have compulsory education in this state, there is no douht that 
we should not have so many children in school as we now have. 
We have made a tremendous investment in our common schools. 
Yet the Germans have recognized that if it is proper to use com- 
pulsion up to 14 years of age, it also should be used beyond 14. 
if idleness and unemployment are to stop, if the formation of 
drifting, nmsterless groups of men such as one sees already in 
England is going to be prevented. It is hard for us to learn 
the lesson, l)ut there is no escape from it. 



EXISTING RE:\rEDIES 

Manual training. — A consideration of manual training in 
this connection is demanded. The introduction of manual 
training into the high school in Massachusetts in 1874 was 
thought at that time to be a great progressive step in the field 
of industrial education, and no doubt it was: liut nevertheless, 
it has failed to accomplish what was fully expected of it in 
that it has not provided industrial education. ^Manual train- 
ing in the high schools has served its educational purposes: l)nt 
has entirely failed to give industrial training. 

^Massachusetts has carried on evening classes for a long lime 
Avith some kind of success, and there are thousands of nu^n in 
America who owe all they have to such classes in the cities in 
the East. In Wisconsin we have fcAv evening classes, and we 
have begun in a crude manner to build up manual training and 
domestic science in our schools, and avc have also a few agri- 
cultural schools, but can we follow Massachusetts in the estab- 
lishment of continuation schools and industrial schools similar 
to those in Germany.' Whether the state of Wisconsin can do 
tliis or not is a matter for us to discuss. ^Massachusetts is a 
closely knit manufacturing state, much older than ours, and we 
i-annot hope perhaps to do all at once, that which has been done 
by that state. But your committee believes that it has worked 
out a plan l)y which avc can nuike a beginning in this state. 



Extension of Indim. -rial and Agricultural Training. 31 

Wisconsin agricultural schools. — Strange as it may seem, -vve 
luive done as much perhaps for this state through certain kinds 
of industrial education as has Germany. We have, in Wiscon- 
sin, industrial education as good as now existing in Germany 
and furnishing to us perhaps a model and in some ways a solu- 
tion of the whole question. Certainly there is not in Germany 
any industrial education which has been more effective than 
that of our agricultural education. Considering that for a 
moment, let us examine its elements of success. Compare it 
with the elements of success which we have stated as being the 
basic conditions of German industrial education. 

We find first, there is a tremendous investment in agricul- 
tural education made up partly by local government, partly 
])y state government and partly by federal government. There 
is at least $325,000 a year spent in agricultural education in 
the state of Wisconsin. There has existed for nearly 40 years 
in the I^niversity of Wisconsin the agricultural college, and the 
short course has existed at least 20 years. This investment 
now, together with the equipment of 5 agricultural trade 
schools as we may call them, or county agricultural schools, 
goes well into a million dollars. The result of this has been 
prosperity for the farmers of our state. Asking the question 
again — what are the elements of success? Investment is evi- 
dently one of them. 

Forces making for success similar to those in Germany are 
in existence here. The men in the agricultural experiment sta- 
tion of our agricultural college in the University do practical 
work and devote all their time to it. We have excellent teach- 
ers but these men are investigators as well as teachers. Another 
])arallel to the German conditions exists in the establishment of 
a separate division of the University for this work and separate 
agricultural schools, just as the Germans have worked through 
separate trade schools and separate industrial education sys- 
tems. We have had practically a separate administration rbCi 
separate funds for our agricultural college. AVe have done an 
immense amount of research worlv and we have paid our agri- 
cultural teachers well. Still another element similar to that in 
Germany is the part time system at the university, — the short 
course in agriculture which has turned out the farmers in this 
state. These short courses have been practically continuation 
scliools. Boys have come into these schools who are actually 



'A'2 Rei'oht ok Tin-: Commission Tpox Plans for tiik 

liii'iiiers. and have leanioil how to solvi; their prohlems. The 
only eK'iHont wliicli we have not in this matter, and which the 
Germans have, is that of compulsion. If we had compulsion and 
if we had more classes in agriculture and a greater number of 
agricultural schools in this state, and a greater emphasis upon 
the commercial and business side of agriculture, there is no 
doubt that we could do for this state as much as Denmark has 
done for agriculture. It is only a question of investment, of 
right methods, of teachers, of practical work ; all these things 
have been essential to our success here, and they teach us that 
the elements of success in Germany are very mucli the same as 
the elements of success here. What has been successful in agri- 
culture can also be successful in industry and in business in 
general if the plan is carefully worked out. There is no use try- 
ing to do for business and manuf'actuies oL" this state what Ave 
have done for agriculture unless we adopt to a lai'ge extent the 
same methods. AVe must have the investment, we must have 
high class teachers, Ave unist have the practical point of vicAv, 
we must make the same practical experiments and research, and 
Ave must meet the demand wherever it may lead us. 

Compulsory industrial training until 16 years. — -To make the 
whole system et^icieut, to get it in Avorking order as quickly as 
possible to meet the conditions in our state, Ave must use in in- 
dustrial and commercial education in addition to the methods 
used in the agricultural Avork, to some extent, the compulsion 
system Avhich the Germans liaA'^e used. The opposition Avill come 
and the difficulty Avill begin, right at this point. A keen analy- 
sis. hoAvever, Avill sIioav the necessity of compulsion. The arti- 
san in the factory is not on the same economic basis as the farm- 
er's son. He exists under conditions Avhich are not similar lO 
those of the farmer. The farm is often a school in itself; the 
factory leads to physical degeneration and artificial conditions 
of life. The farm boy does not need the compulsory education 
to the same degree as does the boy in the factory. "We have al- 
ready recognized this fact by exempting the farm boy from 
our present compulsory education laAv. 

IIoAvever distasteful compulsion may seem to us, (and it is 
distasteful both to the English and to the Americans) Ave can- 
not alloAv the young boys A\'ho are coming out of school now at 
14 years of age to drift into offices as messenger boys or errand 



Extension of TxDrsrRiAL and Agricfltural Training. 33 

boys and drift along into one unskilled occupation after anothei' 
until they finally fall into the great unemployed class. The boy 
on the farm has something to look to compared with the boy who 
goes out of school at 14 in a factory town. "What has he before 
Mm? If he learns a trade it is nearly always, imder present 
conditions, only part of a trade. All authorities insist that there 
is scarcely anything for him between 14 and 16 years of age 
except desultory, unskilled work. He is not physically strong 
enough to begin apprenticeship in a great many trades. He is 
drifting along with the tide. The doors to the future are closed 
to him. He is up a "'blind alley.'' He has to take what he can 
get, and that does not mean real instruction, .stimulus or prog- 
ress. The English are trying to delude themselves with the idea 
that they can accomplish what the Germans have without com- 
pulsion. They point to their evening classes, but a consideration 
later on of the situation of the evening classes in England shows 
that they are not taking the proper step to correct this evil, and 
England is overcrowded with drifting boys and gii'ls, and pov- 
erty, idleness and lax morality is increasing. The wisest minds 
in England are just beginning to comprehend that compulsion 
must be used. All other means have failed. We should not 
make the mistake here; we must meet the question fairly in all 
justice to our children and in all justice to the economic welfare 
of our state. Par better is it for the state to use compulsion 
and see to it that the boys between 14 and 16 at least, go to 
school a certain number of hours a week, as under the German 
continuation school plan, so that they will be compelled to learn 
the broader aspects of whatever business into which they drift, 
so that they will learn some of their duties to the state and 
some general skill which will prepare them either for apprentice 
courses or for whatever work may come up in the future. We 
must not allow them to drift, but rather guide them into habits 
of industry and point the way to remnuerative and healthful 
work fitting to their ability. We must open the doors of oppor- 
tunity before them; we must save these two years at least from 
exploitation and waste. 

Although it is well established that the boys betM^een 14 and 
18 in trade industries are of relatively little economic use, yet 
the statistics show that they are in such industries in minor 
places, and their numbers are still on the increase. The high 
school will not solve the problem. It is well known by fathers 
3 



34 Rki'oht (ti" TiiK Commission I'l'ox Plans fok the 

and niothers iu industrial cilii's Ihat il' a lioy y:oes to the high 
school until 17 or IS years of age and then graduates, Ik; seldom 
goes into industrial employments, lie feels above work in the 
factories or tlie learning of a trade, lie has gone by the psyeho- 
logieal, ei'iticfil pei-'od, wlien he should b('<;iii a ti'adc lie has 
not money enough to go to college. Such children form a ilis- 
eontented, useh'ss element. The fathers ami mothers have 
learned this in factory towns and now they are putting their 
children to work as soon as they get thi'ough the conmion schools, 
which is usually between 14 and Ki. 

The state of Wisconsin shoidd ha\e for its aim, tlu' adoption 
of the "Scotch law" as soon as adjustments can he made locally 
and schools j)rovided, that is, compel the attemlance of lioys and 
girls to 16 years of age at some continuation, industrial or even- 
ing school a certain number of hours a week. If they go to 
evening school, tiie total number- of hours in the day should not 
exceed 8 houis foi- cliildi-en under Ki years. The I'cason f«)i' tliis 
will be given mote fully wlicu we discuss the evening school. 
Perhaps some arrangement might l)e nuide in some trades so that 
a cei'tain period in the year could be given off ])y ttie eniployei's 
and the pay 1)e. continued during that period; thus making a 
condition very much like th(> short course work in agriculture, 
with com[)ulsion added. 

We are aware at once that many manufacturers will say that 
conii:)ulsion is impossi])le, or that such arrangements which we 
advocate here unthu' the actual condi.tions in nuinufacture, are 
impracticable. \''our committee is also aware that the forces 
which fought child lal)or legislation in this state will no doubt 
fight the compulsory continuation school law. It will be said 
that it is impossible to let a hoy leave his woi'k oiu' day a week 
because of the fact that the child is working in a system recpiir- 
ing minute division of labor and is doing a small but necessary 
part of the entire production, and if the child stops for any 
period then the machine must stop or some skilled employees 
nnist be delayed. The child, although a small and weak link, 
is still a link in the chain. / 

The same argument was advanced in (Jermany. The answer 
to this as the statistics given by the Wisconsin bureau of labor 
show, is that there are comparatively few children employed in 
factories, mercantile aiid correlated industi'ies in Wisconsin less 
than Ifi years of age. There wei'c but (i.^U") ])ei'mits issued last 



Extension of Indi'strial and AGRicrLTiRAL Training. 35 

year. Some of these were not used, or were used for a very- 
short time. Oil tlie cthei Land children working en farms or in 
domestic service were not included. It is true that some adjust- 
ment will have to he made in certain ti-ades, but of these chil- 
dren it is safe to say that at least one-half are working at tasks, 
t*'" al)sence from which for a day oi- a weelc will not stop the 
woik or iidcrfere in any way with the i)jocess. The statistics' 
colh'cted hy the Wisconsin l)ureau of labor show thai l)ut 360' 
were used in machine tending. Wheiv children are engaged in 
I)acking, lalieling, counting, errand running, the matter can be 
easily met. In Geiniany the classes are made to accomodate 
these conditions. In some tr-ades one whole day is given ; in 
some others, two half days; in others, evening classes; and in 
this way the hours are made to fit into the occupation. This 
has caused very little trouble to the employer, notwithstanding 
the fact that German continuation schools are compulsory until 
18 years of age. 

We have learned fi'om experience, however, in this state that 
mere compulsion will never be of the greatest service. Although 
we have compulsory education today in the common schools, we 
find that many boys drop out the first moment they can. They 
are tired of school. Here compulsion without proper methods, 
jiroper teachers, without those practical things which have made 
Germany successful in this work, will never accomplish the re- 
sults sought. A lack of i)atience with compulsory education is 
manifest at the present time. Honest men who have not studied 
school systems call compulsion a failure. ^Nlere compulsion is ad- 
mittedly a failure, but i-ompulsion combined with good methods 
is not. In Germany the amount of coiiijiulsion is regulated lo- 
cally. Th(^ statistics given of education in Prussia (where there 
is local option in the matter of compulsion) show that the schools 
where compulsion is used, are progressing, while those where it 
is not u.sed are going backward. The students in compulsory 
iiulustrial schools increased from 1 7-1,494 in 1904 to 286,822, in 
1908, while those in non-compulsory schools decreased from 
27.222 in 1904 to 17.659 in 1908. The same relative decrease is 
shown in commercial continuation schools. 

Analysis of data in ^I. E. Sadler's book on continuation 
schools in England, shows us that "of the 195 firms represent- 
ing some of the chief trades and industries in England to whom 
inquiries were sent, 67 i-e])lied. Of these 67, 49 excused ap- 



36 KePdKT Ol" TIIK ("u.M MISSION I'l'OX i'j.AX-S FOR THE 

prentices fi-om day work to allow of their attending classes. 
The time allowed is from half a day to a day a Aveek." That 
is, many of the public spirited manufacturers of England rec- 
ognize that they can give part time off, and they do so. The 
pity is that the other manufacturers who ai'c not as public 
spirited are not compelled to do the same. Xo stronger argu- 
ment can be used in favor of compulsion. ('ertai]i manufac- 
turers can do it, evidently, in England, and others will not do 
it. The fact that such a large ])ercentage do do it. refutes the 
argument that compulsory allowance of time during the day to 
employees is impossible. 

The Wisconsin bureau of labor report has the following to 
say about tlie ((uestion of the retluction of hours of labor of 
children in order to allow for industrial education: "A few 
states have already effected a i-eduction in the legal number 
of hours of labor of children without serious consequences to 
industr}', and the eight hour day is regarded as the goal for 
those workmen who are able to protect themselves. Why 
should it not be the goal for those who are unable to protect 
themselves'? The eight hour day would not be inconvenient 
in factories whether employing either 1, 2 or 8 shifts and the 
other employers of labor would have less difficulty in adjusting 
themselves to such a legal limitation." 

Your committee recommends an eight hour day in this state 
for children under 16 years of age. If this were brought about 
in all industries it would be a great step towards the carrying 
out of the plan as outlined by your committee. The child would 
have the option of going to evening school or day continuation 
school. Such a system woidd inevitably lead to the establish- 
ment of day continuation schools but would allow for adjust- 
ment in some eases. It seems also to your committee that this 
Scotch law with an eight hour limitation could be well extended 
to 18 years in certain industries of a trying nature or in which, 
because of danger to the public, the pupils shoidd have a spe- 
cial training. From the attitude of railroads of this state and 
throughout the countrv it would seem that no oi)position would 
be met from them if the limit were extended, and therefore 
your committee has ])repared a bill extending the limit to 18 
years in railroad Avork. 

If the methods of compulsion now used in the schools of 



Extension of Indits^rial and Agricultural Training. 37 

Wisconsin are still defective, then "sve must not apply such 
antiquated and inefficient methods to compulsory industrial 
education, hut must improve the compulsory methods now used 
in the elementary schools and use efficient methods for both 
the elementary school and the continuation school. For this 
reason your connnittee has planned certain improvements in 
the compulsory education law Avith a view to the application 
of this law to compulsory education in continuation schools 
for boys and girls in industry between the ages of 14 and 16. 

Compulsion to 16 years of age will not be a hardship on the 
nmnufacturer and the employer, nor will it be on the parent 
or on the student. It is well known that the interest and en- 
thusiasm shown by the ordinary boy in these German compul- 
sory continuation schools is far greater than that shown by 
the student in the last years of the elementary school. The 
reason is simply that his interest is absorbed in solving the 
problems which meet him every day in his work. The manu- 
facturer or employer is making an investment in the future of 
his business and the parent has a way open to him to give to 
his children bettei- preparation for life. It is an investment on 
every hand and it can be carried out just as well here as in 
Germany. All over this country part time schemes have sprung 
up in a voluntary manner, reaching, it is true, only a few peo- 
ple, but these, as the statistics given by Professor Reber show, 
indicate tliat the thing is possible in America. . The part time 
system in continuation schools of Cincinnati, the part time 
schools of Boston, all show this. It is not hard to make this re- 
adjustment or to work out these methods ; and compulsion 
which usually runs between 14 and 18 in Germany certainly 
should not be a hardship between 14 and 16 in America. As 
our plan here necessarily includes a study of evening schools, 
trade schools and other means of educating workmen, these 
factors will be discussed so that the whole plan can be seen as 
a unit and the place of compulsion and of the proposed legisla- 
tion can be definitely set forth. 



J3S Report ok tiik Commission I'rox I'lans fou Tiit: 



CONTlXrATlON SCHOOLS 

We, to soiuo extent, liave been discussiiio- eoiitiunation sehools, 
but a eonsideration of these sehools as ai)plie(l to oiii- conditions 
deserves a more eomph^te analysis lliaii \vc haxc thus far been 
giving them. IIoav ean coiitiimalion schools be eslablished in 
Wisconsin ? 

First of all. the continuation sdiool is not a liiuh school. 
We are eonsidering, when we speak of the continuation school, 
what we ean do for the 80 to 00 per- cent of those who never 
iio to the high school, but who go into industry U])i)n arriving 
;at legal school age. 

Your committee recommends the establishment of eontinna- 
■tion schools as the first step to be taken in this state, for the 
I'eason that these schools seem to meet our needs better than 
any other system. It is not a ])erfect system, it is not the most 
highly scientific system; but it does something where nothing 
"has been done. It meets the broadest aim and it will at once 
reach the greatest number at the least cost. 

Again, your committee believes that the industi'ial educational 
need of this state is not going to be supplied by the establish- 
ment of trade schools here and there in cities which can atford 
them : but that a complete system adapted to the whole state, 
meeting the needs of people in the smallest villages as well as 
the largest cities, must be installed or else the problem will not 
be solved. It is comparatively easy for a large city to estab- 
lish a trade school, but what can be done with the boy or girl 
in the village store or in the other varied employments of life, 
scattered in small places throughout our state .' That is the 
■question. The success of our plan nuist be tested by its re- 
sults in dealing with such cases. If we had money enough we 
could easily establish in every village in Wisconsin a trade 
school, but would this meet all the need .' AYhat kind of a school 
would it be .' What would it teach .' Would it reach the 80 
or 1)0 per cent of boys and girls not in school.' We have not 
the money to set up these schools, nor would Ave know at once 
Avhei-e and ]i(»w to a])ply it if we did. There are two ])laces. 
liowever. in which we can exjjend money, and where we must 
ex])end it. All of the children of this state between 14 and 



ExTEN^^iox OP Indi'st'rial and Agricl'ltural Training. 39 

16 years of age who are in industry must have tlieir educational 
needs supplied. The only so far found sueees«ful way is the 
Oerman continuation school. 

We believe that the state of Wisconsin instead of relying 
upon the estal)lishment of trade schools such as have been set 
up in the thickly populated state of Massachusetts,. should be- 
gin at once a plan of providing for this period of 14 to 16 years 
of age by means of continuation schools. In that way we can 
reach the greatest number at the least cost and we can allow 
the system to grow gradually and Avith the best results. It 
is the general agreement of all investigators, as has been stated 
before, that boys are not generally w^anted as apprentices be- 
fore they are 16 years of age. Therefore if they leave school 
at 11 they practically waste their time. A more careful analy- 
sis, however, will show us that it is only in certain trades that 
boys are not wanted before they are 16. and those arc the trades 
Avhich require physical strength. There are trades, also, in 
which the apprentice system has nt)t l)roken dow^n completel^^ 
The investigations of child labor for the past 10 years, and the 
strenuous opposition put up b.y certain employers to the child 
labor law, show that there are some employments in which 
children under 16 years of age are of service. The statistics 
of children actually in industry under 16 years of age show a 
great and increasing number thus employed. No doubt this is 
due to the subdivisions of trades and to the increasing use of 
machinery which can be tended b.y children. The report of the 
Wisconsin labor bureau on children in occupations under 16 
years of age shows that there were but 35 children in the build- 
ing trades (in which apprenticeship still exists), while there 
Avere 2,640 in factories and Avorkshops. It Avill be apparent at 
once that the building trades require probably more physical 
capacity than the other trades of a lighter nature in Avorkshops 
and factories. Of those in the latter institutions, 356 Avere en- 
gaged in scAving, 318 in leather Avork. 529 in retail stores, 350 
in offices, in knitting 260, in Avood Avork 268, in hardware 272, 
in food making, such as candy making, icing cakes and cookies, 
canning and bottling, sausage filling, etc., 214. Most of these 
occupations are A'eiy light, and physical strength is not re- 
quired, while some of them, such as the leather trade and the 
textile trades, are very much subdivided and require the quick- 
ness of children. It is evident from the reports that conditions 



4(' Kei'oht of tuk Commission Tpon Tlans for the 

similar to those in England are rai)i(lly forming in our state. 
It is certain that many of the children from 14 to 16 have very 
little outlook for the future in the occupalion in Avhich they are 
engaged and have begun no pai'ticnlai- pi-cpa ration for life 
work. 

Shadwcll ill his hook. " liuiustrial Kt'ficiciicy, *' sa>'s of P^ng- 
laiid: "It is a fact that a very large proportion of l)oys never 
leai'ii or attempt to pursue any trade at all. They follow the 
line of least resistance and as soon as they are released from 
school and often before, they begin to earn money by unskilled 
labor, as errand boys, shop boys, van boys, newspaper boys and 
other occasional occupations. There is always a demand for 
their services and the temptation is to many irresistible. Thus 
they grow up without any special knowledge or skill. As they 
groAv older and cannot live on boy's wages, they are thrust out 
by the constantly renewed su])ply of youngei" lads and drift 
into the ranks of occasional or inefficient labor.'' 

The above can be applied to Wisconsin almost without the 
changing of a Avord. We have condilions similar to tliose in 
England and they are rapidly getting worse. The report of 
the AVisconsin Bureau of Labor for 1910 shows that only 12 
])(']• cent of the children employed undei- Ki are in positions to 
learn a trade. These, our report says, are in the l)uilding 
trades, millinery, dressmaking, trunkmaking, core making and 
filming. It will be recognized in som(> of these. hoAvever, that 
it is very ])robal)le that only a slight division of a ti-ade can be 
learned. As the report states. 88 per cent of the childi-en are 
in occupations of the merest mechanical kind where skill is not 
developed of eiieoni'aged for that matter to any great extent. 
Says the report: "The great problem from the point of vicAV 
of educational value as presented by the larger number, appar- 
ently more than three-fourths of the total, who are engaged in 
tasks in wdiich it was not found possible to ascribe any benefit 
other than the Avages earned. The simple routine tasks to be 
performed in many factories are detrimental both to mind and 
character. A large number of children are employed in leather. 
box. candy, bag and net factories, wdiere practically no thought 
is required to perform the labor. Children working in these 
employments either liecome stu])id aiul mechanical or quit work 
and (li-ift fi-om ]ilace to place in quest of something more inter- 



Extension of lNDi;;t"KiAL and Agricultural Training. 41 

•esting-. Failing to find congenial Avork, they drift away from 
settled and wholesome habits." Equallj^ injurious is the work 
of a considerable proportion of the messenger boys. 

Whatever fine theories we may have, it is apparent that we 
are not meeting the needs of this class of people. The high 
school will not meet them ; the trade school can meet them only 
to a certain extent, and we cannot meet them without compul- 
sion; that is, children will not go to school voluntarily; parents 
will not make them go to school, and many employers will not 
allow them to go unless the state rec|uires it. It is apparent 
that a wider moral, mental and manual training is needed in 
order to supplement this narrow deadening industrial status in 
which they find themselves. The only way your committee 
can see possible is that of the compulsory continuation school. 
It is very apparent that many of these industries hire boys 
and girls temporarily because they are cheap, Avith no inten- 
tion of keeping them after a certain age. But should a boy 
who is in the leather, hardware, or wood-working trade be dis- 
carded at 16, 17 or 18! Men are needed in these industries. 
In fact there is in many of them a demand for skilled labor 
which is greater than the supply. If boys can be supplied with 
an incentive to learn something about the broader aspects of a 
trade while actually engaged in some manual mechanical proc- 
ess connected with it, many of these boys will take up with 
enthusiasm work of this kind, progress in it, and eveiitually fit 
themselves to fill skilled and w^ell-paid places. AVhat is needed 
for this boy is a sort of cpiasi-apprenticeship which will provide 
an opening from these temporary positions into a permanent 
trade or a permanent well paying position. High grade skill 
is always in demand. The continuation school as advocated in 
this report can furnish this medium for attaining skill, at least 
to a certain extent. It provides a way by which, if the boy 
w^ants to enter a broader and more permanent employment. 
he is at least given a chance. The door is not shut to him. If 
he wants to enter a regular apprenticeship at 16, the worlc he 
has done has lost him no time. If on the other hand he wishes 
to change his occupation at 16 and go into another, he has been 
taught something about some particular trade or occupation 
for two years. He has, in addition to that, been taught arith- 
metic. English, and has a general education as his stimulus. 



42 Hki'owt (IK Till': Co.mmi.-siox I 'pox I'i.ans i^'oi^ 'imik 

lie lias iidt Ix'cii allowed to (lr(i|) his li;il)its of sliuly and to lose 
the discipline wliieli g'oes willi il. lie has losi iiothiiiL;-, wli.it- 
evor he wishes to uiuh'rtake. For instance, the shop nialhe- 
inaties wliicli lie will have to leai'n in the eonlimiat ion scdiool. 
if he is en^ajied in the hardware work, will certainly he of use 
to him in woodwork or in clerical woi-k. if he wishes to enter 
eithc)" some other emi)loyment oi" a ti'ade school at Ki years of 
ajre. Whatever lie goes into, the compnlsory emit inujition 
school hetween 14 and IH will certainly heli) him. lie has not 
lost his time, and he has actpiired hesides. a ji'eneral education 
which cannot fail to be of nse to him whatever he does. 

Hilt the (|uestion comes u\\ 1h»\\" about the boy who is not in 
a trade, who does not wish to learn one, or who is in scattered 
emplo.N nients in which no special classes can be formed.' What 
about the b<i.\' who is in some village oi* small town wnieh cannot 
maintain schools for different trades.' This shows the elas- 
ticity of the plan for continuation schools, (ieneral continua- 
tion cla.sses can be formed. (Jeiieral training, iiududing citi- 
zenship and all the othei- branches of work particularly adapted 
to any man's life, can be taken up. When a certain number of 
boys from a particular trade can be gathered together a special 
class can be formed, just as is done in (iermany. A boy going 
to these courses can go. as recpiired by the Scotch law and as 
])roposed in this report, to an even'ng sidiool ; oi- can go, as 
other boys go. to continuation schools, but he can take general 
elementary or cultural work instead of industrial woi'k. 

Classes for illiterates or for foreigners who wish to have a 
knowledge of the English language can also be oganized. In 
fact, any kind of a class which is adapted to the wants of a few 
peo])le can be formed. Classes can be developed and special- 
ized as the needs arise and as the money is forthcoming. In 
.America, where our classes have not been strictly stratitied, 
there will be a large percentage of our boys who hapjM^n to be 
working in industrial woi'k. who will want to study for i)rofes- 
sions. With a cai-eful supervision and with permission of some 
local board, a boy who is meanwhile Avorking tem]iorarily in a 
di-y goods stoi-e and who Avaiits to stud.\- law. may be excused 
from the commercial continuation school and go to some even- 
ing school. Such a boy should certainly not be hiudi'red but 
ought to be given every o])])ortunit.\- to go ahead in his par- 
ticular choice as long as it is a reasonable one. 



Extension op Industrial and AGRicrTLTURAr^ Training. 4:1 

We liave an efficient instrument to fill in the gaps in this 
scheme, in the university extension division. This is so or- 
ganized that it can take eai-e of small numbers of especially 
ambitious boys and men, and carry them along until classes 
can be formed. There is no machinery in Germany or any other 
country which can fill in the gaps in this manner. A boy can 
go as high as he wishes in this work or begin with any branch. 
It forms an elastic element, and we have this great advantage 
over any other state in the formation of an industrial educa- 
tional system. 

]n ord(M' that your committee may not be tliought to put too 
much emphasis upon the industrial field, it must be remembered 
that it is in office Avork, mercantile work and the various i)arts 
of business training that perhaps the classes in coutiaaation 
schools can be most (^asily formed, most cheaply maintained and 
for which convenient hours can l.)e most easily arranged. 

It is evident that a great deal of experimenting will be ueces 
sary he fore these schools can be thoroughly adapted to the 
work in our state. Nevertheless, we do not want to follow the 
example of the mariual training schools, or for that matter 
some of the methods used in agricultural education in America. 
We do not want this instruction so general that it will not effect 
in a |)racticai mannei- the work in which the great body of our 
young people are actually engaged. Our plan must evolve grad- 
ually as needs become apparent, and means for meeting them are 
worked out. Without such elasticity, without a proper safe 
guard to too rapid development and specialization, fads will 
creep in and costly waste will ])e the result. By caution, by ad- 
.iusting the courses as they come up, to the necessities of the busi- 
ness, by a careful analysis of the various needs of the commun- 
ity, we can hope to develo]) our educational facilities as those 
needs increase; we can change as the industries change, and we 
can establish higher and more comiilex specialized teaching as 
the demand arises. The general continuation school will rapidly 
dev(dop into sjiecial classes, but the general classes will no doubt 
come first because they will I'each the greatest number of people. 
It is apparent that in some trades, such as the carpenter trade, 
])lumbing. and trades of that general nature, special classes can 
be established at once. 

The experience of the teachers of the university extension di- 
vision and of the teachers in' the agricultural short courses, as 



44: Repokt oi' Tilt: Commission I'lox Ti-ans for the 

■well as tluKsc in llic school i'oi- ai'tisans at the univci-sity will be 
■of the firealest scr\l('(' in this cvolutionaix- Imildinu' ii[» of con- 
tinuation schools. 

The continuation school may he only a stop ^i\p, but it is the 
only device Avhich will, with any degree of efticicncy, take care 
of the children between 14 and 1() years of aye. It will solve 
that (juestion better than any trade school or evening school. 
The AVisconsin bureau of labor rei)ort for 1!)1() says. "As far as 
insti'Uction is concerned, it would be ])ossihl(' to admit lioys of 
14 to the trade school, but at the age of Ki a lad would l)e too 
Aoung to go out as a journeyman. Therefore it does not appear 
that there ^\(.ul(l be any advantage in admitting boys to trade 
schools befoic tlicy are 16. In the tiadc school preparatory 
courses, English, j)ractical mathcmati<-s. mechanical drawing, 
shop work, would naturally mak(> up the lai'ge part of the curri- 
culum." This is the very work that the continuation school 
could do. The plan here proposed would meet this situation 
exactly, as it would provide for this pic-apprentice training 
thought necessary by the Bureau of !a))oi'. 

Whether we wish it or not, the childi'en are already at work. 
As descril)ed in this report, the trade school could be at the same 
time the continuation school, if we follow the method now used 
in Germany. If it is possible for a boy to go to a preliminary 
trade school at 14 years of age. another boy at 14 years of age 
:Nvho is einidoyed all the time could be in the same class. He 
Avould of course be at work on a different task, as described in 
our discussion of the "task" system. The details of this task 
system will be later on described in our repoi-t. 

The continuation school is in truth an industrial school, if the 
clistincfion can be made between an ijulustrial school and trade 
school. In the trade school as now organized in ^Massachusetts 
and as advocated by the American Federation of Labor and by 
most of the manufacturers in America, children can be admitted 
without difficulty at 14 for full time, because the first two years 
take U]) the very preparatory woi-k advocated by the Bureau of 
labor. The continuation school as we have outlined it here. Avill 
insure a ])road industrial training and will insure at the same 
time that greater mnubers of students will 1al<(' this work be- 
cause of the compulsory features in oui- ])lan. 

It would be ideal indeed if we could compel all the children 
to go to the conunon school or high school until 16. but in prac- 



Extension of iNDurrRiAL and Agricultur.vl Training. 45 

tice it has not worked out properly. The common school is not 
the place for any really practical trade education. The commom 
school may teacii some fundamentals, and the high school may 
teacli S(mie manual dexterity or tool knowledge, hut neither of 
these schools can supply the equijiment, the atmosphere or the 
teachers to teach the hoys who are already in an industry or 
who must work for a lixing. 

There is a consideral)le numher of children who would not 
be greatly benefited by going to the ordinary school beyond li 
years of age. Tender the present school system, a great many 
children fret under the kind of instruction which they get in 
the common schools at that age and naturally resist it. Some' 
children are so constructed that they must learn by seeing, 
hearing and handling material. They must learn by doing, and 
neither the common school nor the high school can supply this 
method. The continuation school can supply it and can give 
the fundamentals which should accompany the actual acciuisi- 
tion of skill in any work. For those who will go to work or 
V. ho must go to work, the only solution in sight at present is the 
compulsory continuation f-chocl to 16 years of age. 

Again, we assert that in carrying out the system of continua- 
tion schools we are only doing for trade, business, and manu- 
facturers what we have already done in agriculture. At least, 
we are using the same principles. The great success in agricul- 
tural education, when it comes right down to the question of 
turning out farmers or dairymen, we repeat, has been through 
the short course, or contiiuiation schools for those actually in 
the industry. The continuation school boy who goes from the 
factory into the school and from the school back into the fac- 
tory does not get merely theoretical training, but he adds theo- 
retical and cultural training to the practical tasks which he has- 
to meet in the faetoiy. 

This problem is not as hard as it seems at first. A law can 
be passed which will allow cities of certain classes to establish 
voluntarily continuation schools of a general or of a special na- 
ture, and whenever such schools are provided, then it shall be 
compulsory for boys and girls between 14 and 16 years of age, 
who are employed in industry to attend them ; or. a law can be 
passed M'hich will require cities and villages to establish such 
schools whenever the parents or employers of 25 boys or girls 
shall make application. But the compulsory law, providing for 



4() J\'i:i'(>KT OP riiK Commission I'l-ox |- 



LANS FOR TIIK 



(•(»iiipiils(iry cciil iiiiuit ion schools ;iii(l for ihcir ('(luipiiiciil can 
l)c so (li'iiuii as to j>o into ctTccl in 1!)];5 tin on^lioiit tlic state. 
This will tiixc vilhiiit's and cities a chance to prej^are for sncli ad- 
ditional sciiool lacilitics as will he iiee(h'd ; and hy that lime an 
adininisti'ation de|)ailinent to lake eaic of snch schools iiuiy Ik; 
ostahlislied in the state. Tlie problem is not a hard one. Of 
course your committee docs not conlem[)la1e the estahlislunent 
of a eonipidsory law without having' some means i^rovided for 
tak'inij:' cai-e of llie children; ami hy tlie ahove <ii'adual process 
it is thouiiht that ample pio\ision can l;e made hy the time set 
I'oi' the compuls(uy featnie of Ihe law to .uo into effect. 



evp:xix(; schools 

Analysis of existing methods. 

The continuation school Avas taken up tirst because it is more 
successful tlian the evening school. However, the eveniiii;- 
school must be considei-ed in coiuiection with continuation 
schools. It deals with the same class of people and meets the 
same needs; in fact, the evening' school is a continuation 
school— -the l^itul best known in this count i-y and in Kngland. 
Your committee has com[)ared the evening schools with the 
continuation schools in order to get their i)oints of diti'erence 
and the points of success or lack of success in each of these 
systems. Your committee does not propose the abandonment 
of the evening school; the evening school must always exist. 
It fills its niche in the evolution of iiulustrial education. It has 
.produced in the past hrilliant men and women. It has fur- 
nished the l)lessed oi)portunity for many thousands of toilers 
to develop themselves. It first appeals to us when we think of 
extending the oppoi'tunit ies of education to the gi'eat mass ot 
those who work. In the discussion of the continuation school 
it will be seen that the (iermans have already found that the 
old fashioned evening school Avas the most difficult school to 
maintain aiul in the end the least profital)le investment of pub- 
lic funds for education. The evening scliools in (Jermany have 
l>een largely superseded by the new and more economical 
methods used now in the day continuation schools. The Ger- 
mans have not dime this without reason. It is the. belief of 
your committee that some of the reasons for this change have 
been found. 



P'XTKXSION OF iNDrS'-'KlAL AND AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. 47 

A comparison of the woi-k done in these schools sliows at once 
that ill four out of tive pul)lic evening schools the work is de- 
eidedly inferior to the work done in such private evening 
schools as the Boston Y. ;M. C. A. and the great Poh'teehnic 
school in London. At the public evening schools one often 
sees rooms fuU of listless students, and hears the constant coni- 
[)iaint of the teachers that "the pupils will not work," and 
"they drop out towards spring,'' etc. Teachers will point with 
pride to snme y(uing man, who, through sheer determination 
and self control, is "Avorking himself up." But, on the whole, 
it is i)retty discouraging when one considers what ought to be 
done for these boys and girls who are striving so hard to better 
themselves. This is true not only in America but in England 
and (iermany. Those who have examined this problem thor- 
oughly, all agree that the economic "pace" today makes it very 
liar;! indeed for the growing boy or girl to do good work at 
night school after a hard, long day spent in tending a machine. 
Oui- work has changed; the piece work and the rapidity re- 
(piired in work upon machines makes labor nerve-racking and 
leaves the persons working under modern conditions, exhausted 
in the evening. 

A distinguished German educator told a member of the com- 
mittee that he believed that the evening school would soon be 
a thing of the past evei-ywhere. "It is merely a question of 
economics. Boys and girls between fourteen and twenty years 
of age should be allowed to develop physically; that is the first 
C(;ncern of the state. Y(ni can't do anything unless you have the 
foundation of health and strength upon which to work. Our 
division of labor, our factory system, our piece work, our pace, 
are devitalizing iniiuences notwithstanding all governm(Mits 
have done to bring about child labor laws and sanitary condi- 
tions in industries." ^Mr. and ]Mrs. Sidney Webb, the great 
P]nglish economists, in their famous "minority" report upon 
the i)oor law in England, hold practically the same views, and 
Avarn the English people that evening schools will not serve 
the purpose unless time is given off from the work in the day 
time. 

The Germans, after the most thorough and painstaking ex- 
periments reaching over a number of years, are now discour- 
aging the formation of evening schools for young people'under 



48 Report of the Commission I'pon Plans for the 

20 years of age. Every effort is made to bring- the work of in- 
dustrial education into the day time. Experience has taught 
them that this work is not good when pursued in the evening. 
It would be blindness and folly indeed, for your committee to 
recommend the investment of money in the state of Wisconsin 
in evening schools, unless we prolit by some of the experience 
of other countries and other states ; unless successful methods 
which are used in other states are considered. AV<; have not 
yet organized our sj'stem of trade schools or continuation 
schools, tlierefore we must do something to fill the gap, and it 
will be necessary, your committee believes, to establish evening 
schools for a while in this state, but only under protest, wjth 
the idea of eventually abolishing tliiMii for clnldvcit as the Ger- 
mans have done. 

The testimony seems unanimous upon this question not only 
in England but in America. John L. Shearer, president of the 
great Ohio mechanics institute at Cincinnati, which has done 
as good work as any evening schcdl in this eountry, says: "For 
moral reasons I cannot sanction the establishment of depart- 
ments in our pul>lic schools which make it optional for a child 
to attend either in the day time or in the evening. The tempta- 
tion becomes too great to utilize the child's ability for commer- 
cial purposes and the consequences of this irregular training 
becomes a serious burden upon the pn])lic in later years. I 
have not found that evening classes for children are productive 
of good results, but rather leave in their train many serious 
evils. This brings me then to what I consider the legitimate 
sphere of the night school. It should l)e a good school for adidts 
and not for children." 

The report of the Society for the Promotion of Engineering 
Education gives us practically the same opinion. The report 
for 1900 states: "The student comes two or three evenings a 
week from seven or eight to ten o'clock. He comes more or 
less wor!i out by his day's toil and he reaches home long after 
his usual retiring hour, practically exhausted. His mind can- 
not be alert with his body in a fagged out condition, and hence 
this class of instruction is at once a great hardship, and in com- 
parison with day schools it is of relatively little profit. Men 
who are engaged in any kind of actual manual labor through 
the day are greatly handicapped in their attendance upon such 
schools. They are most valuable for clerks, bookkeepei-s. 



Extension of Industrial and Agriclt^tural Training. 49 

dranglitsmeu and the like. They can never become ' a sub- 
stantial element in the technical education of the industrial 
classes." 

p]very authority in America and Germany agrees tbat chil- 
dren should not be put into the night school and nearly every 
authority agrees that the night school is not of the highest 
service to adults. It may be that the reason for the fact that so 
little interest is taken in the public night school is because of 
the unattractiveness ,of the school compared with the great 
amount of amusement which surrounds him in the evening in 
every walk of life at the present time. The very pace itself 
seems to breed a desire for excitement or amusement. As 
Jane Addams and others have pointed out so often, this is a 
perfectly normal thing, and if the school does not give it, some 
other, perhaps less worthy, institution will. The English have 
recognized this and have tried unsuccessfully to overcome some 
of the shortcomings and lack of interest in the evening school 
by brightening up intellects through healthy amusements in 
connection with those centers. However, the ordinary evening 
school which has none of these things certainly takes too much 
vitality from a student. It seems impossible for the strongest 
adult, let alone a child under 20 years of age, to go a long dis- 
tance to some evening school, to meet there again, repression, 
tired teachers and listless companions. Everything in the boy 
or girl, or for that matter the young man and woman, cries out 
for life or amusement, sympathy or companionship. The elec- 
tric lighted streets, the dance halls, call to them. It takes 
great will power indeed, or else stupid acquiescence to keep 
up such a routine. It comes to be merely mechanical attend- 
ance without effort. 

Why is it that boys will go to the evening schools conducted 
by societies or endowed institutions and gladly pay a high fee 
for such instruction, when the public schools, sometimes with 
expensive equipment and nearly always without fees, give ex- 
actly the same work? As has been suggested before, if there 
is success at all in evening school work, it is in these private 
schools. After watching the w'ork of the teachers in the pri- 
vate school, again the truth of the saying of the great French 
economist, Leon Say, comes home to us, "It is not merely the 
machine, it is also the machinist." 



.")(' 1\K1-()KT OF THE CoMMlSJ-IOX I'roN 1*I.A.\S K(»|; Till': 

It is ii ci-xiiiii- ^^liHiiic — it is a ri-imc. that Wisi-oiisiii has 
scarcely any evening sehiM.ls whalKi.ever of any elass, hut after 
Jill it is in line with the neg'leet of all tiie rest of the country and 
with the lark of adjustment and tlie stui)id methods pursued 
everywliei-e. The eveninji' schools — the only schools which we 
have had in America for the working boy and girl — are taught 
generally by tired teachers; the same teachers who teach in 
the day schools, and who Avish to make a little iiiniicy by 
teaidiing in the eveinng schools. Many teachers also come 
from the I'anks of college studeids or from those who. through 
illness or ndsfortnne. are unable to teach in the day schools. 
These, with a few enthusiasts, who are giving their time and 
strength to uplift — these are the teachers, of those who are \n 
l;e the bene and sinew of our people. These are the teachers 
who must teach onr industrial classes the things which pi'c- 
pare them to meet the battle of life. 

The man oi" woman who woi-ks all day teaching cliildi'eii and 
comes tired at night to teach tired students is at Ix'st l»ut a 
second rate investment for onr educational s\stem. howe\H'r 
noble the efforts of such a teacher my be. The Y. M. ('. A. 
and pi'ivate institutions have professional teachers for th's 
kind of wor]<. They make a study of it. They have the en- 
thusiasm ami freshness of the ex])ert ; they understand thai 
sonu'thing must l)e done to interest the student upon the social 
side as well as on the educational side. Usually they have da.v 
classes as well as eA-ening classes, as in the i'olytechnie school 
of London. l)id always arrangements are made so that the 
teachers come fresh to their work. Ad.justment of time is 
made so that teachers maintain theii- vitality and their inter- 
est. This is true also of the best Oerman industrial schools. 
Wherever the (Jermans have evening sclu)ols they are \'ei'y 
careful indeed to have these taught by fresh teachers, who 
understand the right methods of evening scdiool teaching. 
This arrangement can easily ])e instituted where trade schools 
or evening schools already exist. 

The second point of success which the professional evening 
school teacher has over the regular day school teacher who works 
in an evening school is in the method of teaching. Nearly all 
these schools are industrial in some sense. They ai-e industrial 
in theii- nattiiX' because the vount>' of the industrial classes need 



Extension of Ixdis-kial and AciHicri/n-RAL Training. '51 

them ; they aic industrial because the .ureatcst interest can lie 
Uept up \)y industrial leaehinii'. The workman leaiiis tlirougii 
doing, sometliiug- which had a eonnection witli his everyday 
work. Consequently to meet these demands a complete revo- 
lution of method is necessary. It is essentially diti'erent trom 
that used in teaching pupils in common schools, in high schools 
or colleges. The "teaching by doing"" metiiod so common in 
all industrial education in Germany as well as in successful in- 
dustrial education in America, is the only one which can he 
used with any degree of success in our (n-ening schools in Wis- 
consin. The teacher who has been teaching all her life in pub- 
lic schools, does not realize and cannot realize that she has to 
change all her methods to become a successful teacher of boys 
and girls who are working in shops and behind counters all day. 
The private schools do not merely teach mathematics; they teacli 
shop mathematics. The ])upil in the ordinary {)ublic school be- 
gins to learn arithmetic in a lower grade. After c'ertain lessons 
are given and a certain time spent, the pupil goes to the next 
grade and so on up to college. It is the same with every study. 
At no point until a man enters a profession, is there a gathering 
of all these different studies to work out practical every day 
problems, which confront the individual in dealing with his 
work. This method cannot be applied to the teaching of work- 
ers, as there is either no fixed objective point to be reaehed or it 
is so far away that the workman loses it. The whole vital differ- 
ence in the success in the methods of teaching, is here. The suc- 
cessful evening school method is that one, which recognizes the 
objective point to be reached. If, then, the teacher in the 
■evening, teaches the boy cei'tain mathematics, and the next year 
he comes and learns more mathematics in the same manner as 
does the boy in the grade, he will not be interested and will not 
go to school. He gets the idea that he will be an old man be- 
fore he gets what he wants. r>ut if at once he is given some- 
thing which helps him with his daily problem, then his incentives 
are aroused and he is encouraged and becomes at once interested 
in his classes. 

The splendid drill in priucii)les which children receive in the 
common schools may be all right, Init these methods will not do 
for evening schools. The pupil in the evening school nuist un- 
derstand the purpose of it all. must see how everything will 
give him immediate help upon the problems confronting him. 



52 Report of the Commission Vvos Plans fok the 

Nine out of teu times his inability to solve these problems keeps 
him from earning more money. As the director of the New 
York department of industrial education says: "The teaching 
of application of theory should always be emphasized in even- 
ing instruction." 

In the Boston Y. M. C. A. for instance, one sees chemistry ap- 
plied directly to a shop problem. Problems are wo'r ked out with 
the instruments used in every day trade for wiring electricty and 
for measuring it. Automobiles are repaired and the principles 
of physics and mechanics are applied directly to their repair. 
So in Germany the boy Avorks with the object of his trade before 
him. For instance, at the jewelry continuation classes, the 
boys ciraw by free hand the designs used in the jewelry made in 
the factories. Arithmetic is based upon the calculations actually 
used in the trade or industry. In the class in mechanical draw- 
ing, the le&sons relate to every day work upon the machines or 
buildings. Great stress is now being laid upon free hand and 
mechanical drawing. The aim sought, of course, is to inspire 
idealism in the mind of the workman — to awaken his artistic 
sense and at the same time to make him understand thoroughly 
his work and to train his hand and mind together. The best 
models from all over the Avorld are sought, with vsuch thorough 
understanding of the nature of the pro])lems which the student 
meets, that practical results are obtained. 

Incentives should be studied and used. — President Elliott of 
Harvard shows that tlie tlesire to gain competence from a pro- 
fession is a great incentive. AVhy not apply this motive to 
evening schools? 

"Multitudes of American children, taking no interest in their 
school work, or seeing no connection bet^'cen their studies and 
the means of later earning a good livelihood, drop out of school 
far too early of their own accord, or at least otfer no effective 
resistance to the desire of unwise parents that they stop study 
and go to woi*l\. ^loreover. from lack of interest, tliey acfpiire 
while ill school a listless Avay of Avorking. 

Again, interest in their studies is not universal among that 
small proportion of American cliildrcn who go into a secondar;^^ 
sc'liool ; and in every college a perceptible })roportion of the 
students exhibit a languid interest, ' or no interest, in their 
studies, and therefore bring little to pass during the very pre- 
cious years of college life. 



EXTEX8I(^N OF lNDU!-.;rRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. 53 

There are, however, certain regions in the total field of Amer- 
ican education in AA'hich the internal motive of interest in the 
work conies into full phiy. witli the most admirable results. 
In general, professional students in the United States exhibit 
keen interest in their studies, work hard, advance rapidly and 
avail themselves of their opportunities to gain knowledge and 
.skill to the utmost limit of their strength and capacity, no mat- 
ter Avhether the profession for which they are preparing is 
•divinity, law. medicine, architecture, engineering, forestry, 
teaching, business or corporation service. 

In secondary education the high schools of commerce and 
mechanic arts have a decided advantage as regards motive 
power within tlie pupil, over the ordinary high schools. The 
industrial schools, trade schools, continuation schools, evening 
and sunnner schools, l)usiness colleges and Y. M. C. A. classes 
in secular sul^jects show a large proportion of strongly inter- 
ested pupils. 

We ought not to be surprised that schools which avail them- 
selves of this strong motive get the best work from their pupils, 
and therefore do the best work for the community. All of us 
adults do our best work in the world under the impulsion of 
the life-career motive. Indeed, the hope and purpose of im- 
proving quality, or quantity, or both in our daily work, with 
the incidental improvement of the livelihood, form the strong- 
est inducements we adults have for study, productive labor; 
and the results of labors so motived are not necessarily mer- 
cenary, or in any Avay unworth>' of an intelligent and humane 
person. 

There is nothing low or mean about these motives, and they 
lead on the people who are swayed by them to greater service- 
al)leness and grciiter happiness — to greater serviceableness, b;'- 
cause the ])ower and scope of individual productiveness is 
thereby increased — to greater happiness, because achievement 
will become more frequent and more considerable, and to old 
and young alike happiness in work comes through achieve- 
ment.'' 

Practically no attempts have ))een made to work out the in- 
centives which lead students to study outside of hours. If these 
incentives are not examined, a great deal is lost in method. If 
in teaching illiterates or foreigners who wish to gain a few hun- 



."•4 RkI'OHT ok TlIK COMMI.-SIOX I'l'OX I'l.ANS FOR Till'; 

filed words (il the lOiiuiish hiii^iui^c. \vc l)i'<iiii in ;i rouiid-Mbnut 
way sncli ;is we \\( uld use in teatdiing grammar lo chi'drcn, then 
those forcigneis will not <ro to tho evcniiii; schools. If we set 
them upon tasks wliieh have nothing to do with the woi-k ia 
hand, il will he inereasingly hard I'm' I hem io heeonie interested 
in this work. S;)ys William P. Dooley in a I'epoi't of the Massa- 
chusetts Jalioi' bureau: '■JMciy woikci- attends excniiiu' school 
to satisfy a dehnitc lU'cd ; heiu-c the cxcninii' school instruction 
must appeal at once. The teachers must offei- an incentive dur- 
ing the first lesson in order to hold the student, and that first 
lesson siiould he the most intei'esting one. presenting the prac- 
tical i)art so that the student will leave the class having gained 
some information about his daily work. Foi- exam])le, a young 
machinist who has received a repi'imaiul from his foreman oi* his 
overseer because lie cannot read a working di-awing with sufti- 
cient skill to do properly his daily woi'k. eni'olls in a drafting 
class to meet that (h^ficiency and finds that the fii'st two lessons 
are concei'iied with lettering plates; the next thi'ce with di-awing 
straight and curved lines, and the handling of instruments. ;ind 
that the remainder of tlip term is to be spent on the |)ro.iection of 
points, lines, surfaces and solids. Dui-ing this lime he is receiv- 
ing in his daily work the same repiimands and is thei'cfoi'c de- 
bating in his own mind the \alue o!' the cNcning inst luction. 
The average machinist does not see the dii'ect a|)|)lica1 ion of this 
instruction to his work, lie enrolled for ;i definite purpose. 
To be sure it was a narrow one, but it had economic \alue to 
him. It would have been i)Ossible to gi\-e in the first e\-ening 
some elementary instruction in the I'eading of simple drawings 
and teach him in T) lessons whei-e to look' for the dimensions de- 
noting length, brciidth and fliickness: lo lia\'e shown the priii- 
cij)les of simple drawings and to haxc him comj)i'elien(l the lay- 
ing out of holes for drilling. Instead of leaving school al tlu^ 
end of five lessons with no instiaiction which apjtealed to him. 
he would have remained in the drafting I'ooin to receive the more 
definite and thorough instruction in the theory of mechanical 
drawing such as must be gained if om- is fully to com|»relien(l 
and cover the entire subject. Courses in the excning school for 
workers must be elective and adaptable to \arying needs. The 
course of study shonld specify not merely arithmetic, geometry, 
chemistry, etc., but should read arithmetic for textile woi'kers, 
arithmetic for machinists, arithmetic for lii-emeii and engineeivs. 



Extension of Indus^'riai. ani^ Agrktltl'ral Training. 55 

Mrithmetie for clerks, chemistry for textile workei's, etc. This 
presentation will serve not only to catch the eye l)ut will offer an 
incentive." 

AVith the greatest care in the choice of methods and the great- 
est enlhnsiasm n])on the part of the teacher, the percentage of 
attendance at the hest evening school tends to he very irregular 
and a large attendance extends over a very few months. !Many 
methods have heen used to counteract this irregularity, such as 
that of charging a fee and refunding it after the year is over, 
and also by the installation of all sorts of social attracti(ms. 
England has perhaps done the most (.f this kind of work. This 
whole question of evening schools in relation to children under 
16 years of age, l)rings out again the necessity of the enactment 
of a law modeled upon the Scotch law, as reconunended ))y your 
eonnnittee. If it becomes necessary to have (nening classes for 
such children in the state of Wisconsin, your committee believes 
that these classes will fall oiT unless s(nne sort of provision simi- 
lar to that in Scotland is kept up and strictly enforced. But in 
our recommendations leading to compulsion, Ave must not neg- 
lect those other incentives which are so necessary as aids to com- 
l)ulsion. ]f we have the right kind of teachers and if we use 
methods which experience has shown us to be wise, then com- 
piilsi(»ii will ])v effectively aided. Otliei-wise we only repeat the 
dreary histoi'y oi' the past. Groups of students can be formed 
according to ages and occupations and the whole study of groups 
and occupations should ])recede state aid to evening schools on 
a large scale. For instance, it is found nearly everywhere that 
the older men object to being in the same classes with young 
boys. They feel ashamed of it, and the Y. ^l. C. A. and private 
schools in general make it a point never to have mixed classes 
of this kind. 

The difficulty in securing the i-ight kind of teachers will be 
a serious one. It will be ini])()ssil)le to use the average school 
teacher because he has no other method to pursue and will 
learn no (;ther than that which he follows in the day time. Per- 
haps also we nnist not follow the professional Y. ^I. C. A. 
teacher too closely. He is too much inclined to do away with 
everything that interferes with ultimate success in earning 
capacity. Yet he meets the difficulty of attendance l)y stinuila- 
ting desire, ambition, curiosity, ingenuity. TI(> gets at the in- 
terests of the student and strives to keej) it. No [public school 



-56 Report ok tjik Commission Upon 1*laxs for the 

can compete sueeessfully witli a private school unless it uses 
these methods, ami tlie public school cannot use these methods 
unless it ji'cts Icaclicrs who ctin use them, and in ordri- to c/btaiu 
teachers we must train them professionally. The methods of 
the Y. ]\I. C. A. eveninof school teacher are all right if they meet 
the broad ends of education. They can be supplemented by 
broader teaching- in a few scholastic (,r so-called cultural sub- 
jects. The teachers from a day continuation scIkkiI. such as 
proposed in this plan, would be the neai'cst thing to the suc- 
cessful teachers of private schools. Arrangements cmild be 
made, so that l)y shifting teachers, some could work in the 
evening and others in the day. 

If we should copy the Scotch law. and fui-nish state aid for 
centers for continuation schools and foi-m evening classes upon 
tlie basis advocated in this report, we may be as successful 
v.ith beys and gii'ls and witli adults, as the limits ol' the even- 
ing .school work aMow. Eventually, however, we should raise 
the age limit provided by the Scotch law to 18 years of age. 
The boys who would come, to the e\-ening schcol would be 
tirighter and fresher aiul the lesuH would be a lietler invest- 
ment for the state. 

Consider again for a moment, si>me of the social activities 
which private institutions have provided in connection with the 
evening school, and it will be understood of what aid these at- 
tractions may be made in bringing young people together for 
serious study and uplift, and what a force against evil can be 
encouraged by talking over some of these attractions witli the 
aid of public funds. As a counteracting force to the outside 
amusements and as a stinudus to the .jaded mind, lectures, en- 
tertainments, music, gynuiasiums, athletic teams, bowling, all 
have been used in ju-ivate evening schools with success. Be- 
sides these private evening scIkjoIs often are (^m])l()yment 
agencies and do a great deal in giving advice and vocational 
direction. Now these are all good advei-tiseinents and useful 
in imlucing ])e()ple to attend these scliools. But it is e(|ually 
tme, that in many cases they may become serious distractions 
and are not conducive to hard, thorough study. This has been 
found true unless they are undertaken with moderation and 
keeping the chief end in A'iew — that of higher education for 
the working man. Nevertheless some of these things are of 
the greatest educational value. The debating and lecture divi- 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 57 

sions of the University extension division could be used to sup- 
plement the regular work of the evening school and could have 
a regular place in the credit for work completed. Not the least 
among such activities would be lectures in patriotism and 
classes in citizenship, such as are carried on by the Peoples' 
in.stitute of New York, and the Civic service house of Boston. 
The latter has had for some time a vocational direction bureau 
for young men about to enter the industrial life. 

Evening schools in England. — Considering what we have 
just said about the cleticiencies of the evening school in this 
country, a striking parallel and a striking confirmation of our 
investigation is the result of our study of evening school edu- 
cation in England. Without compulsion or without the bene- 
fits of time oif during the day, except that which occasionally 
employers give, the results are shown by the following descrip- 
tions of conditions in England. Cluirles Winslow of the Massa" 
chusetts commission, who made an investigation of these schools 
in England (juotes an important meml)er of the Liverpool 
Trades Council as follows : ' ' We have practically no free 
technical education unless a boy secures a scholarship, and 
those are limited, as the competition for them proves. We ask 
the boys to make sacrifices and improve themselves by attend- 
ing evening classes. That means that the lad has frequently 
to get u]) at 4:80 o'clock and go to work; he quits work at 5 
o'clock in the evening, swallows a mouthful of food and rushes 
to his classes. We require him to do that three nights a week. 
1 am an advocate of evening schools only because I can get 
nothing better. What I should like to see in Liverpool is in- 
struction being given in the master's time and not in the boy's 
time. I am afraid tliat under the cdmmercial system of to-day 
instead of making artisians we shall be making automatdc 
machines merely, that will be the curse of the future. Therein 
arises the necessity for technical schools. No one, I venture to 
assert, can gainsay tlie importance and excellence of the work of 
these evening schools; and yet the general public is comparative- 
ly indifferent to that woj-k. Between 8000 and 9000 students 
only have entered these classes during the past session, and in 
proportion to our population in comparison with other cities, 
it is estimated that at the very least the evening schools of 
Liverpool should have 15.000 pupils in them." Shadwell, in 



58 Kki'oh'I' ok 'niK Commission- I'l-ox I'lans kok thk 

.•-l)C'akiiij»- about iiuliistrial ('(hication in Kn^rland says: "With 
tlie universities, the national j)hysieal hihoratory and tlie eoni- 
iiiii' iiiipei'iai eoUejic at Kensin|^oii. it is uai schools that we 
laei\, l)nt schohu's. '" In ecnipariny" the schools of Gei-niany and 
Kii^iland. he says: "When eoninai-isons are made l)etween the 
innnbei" oF stu(h'iits of en^'ineei-in^- in science schools here and 
in Germany or elsewhei-e, it is |)utting tlie hoot on the \vi-on<r 
leg to call for more schools. TIk^ real difference lies in the 
lack of scholai's." 

What we have said prexioiisly about the failure of eveniui;' 
f^chools is driven home to us by the remarks of these English- 
men. Iiulustrial education in England is large!y a failure be- 
cause the Knglishman is ti'ving to do the im])()ssible and will 
not learn new methods, and does not see that the evening 
school is n(;t the best form of education. To a large degree 
also he does in t understand the methods whii-li have been 
"worked out in (Jermany and tlu' best schools in America. The 
wisdom (if the "teaching by doing" metlicd has been ap])recia- 
ted on'y in a few {)laces. The testimony in the i-e])(,i-t to the 
jMassachusetIs conunission on industrial education says: "A 
prominent industi'ial educator remarked that he had visited 
Germany to study the educational methods of that counti-.\' and 
nad come to the conclusion that the English system of educa- 
tion concerned itself more with r-eading fi'om that ])oint of view 
of literary e.\ei'cis(> than with the object of ])roviding for re- 
quirements needed in a business. Also that arithmetic was re- 
garded as a sort of mental gynniastics instead of means of 
solving problems to be met with in the offices or workshops. As 
a, rule, arithmetic often proved a useful agent in the training 
for a commei'cial career, but was not as useful to a student if he 
entered the woi'ksho])." 

All testimony shows tluit it is l)y the hai'dest. im st persistent 
effort that any gi"eat numbei' can be ])i'ought into the evening 
schools; that the attendance is xrvy low comparatively and the 
Work is not of a very high ord(M-, except in ^Manchester and 
Avhere the manufacturers have given a certain amount of time 
off in the day. AVithout any great degree of success, almost 
vxvry device has l)een exhausted in oi'der to ]>ut life into the 
evening .schools and to get first class results. Says the bulletin 
on continuation schools in the Ignited States, speaking of Eng- 
lish methods: "Various methods have been triinl to secure 



Extension of Indi'strial and Agricultural Training. 59 

more rcii'iilar atteiuhnire but lunc met with little or no siieeess. 
Feturnin^- the whole (.i- part of the fee, annual outings c.r 
soeial evenings duiing- the session, lantern entertainments and 
concerts, making- the school absolutely free, are experiments 
which have only been successful in isolated instances. The lack 
ii any real liking for study, of any desire to learn on the part 
<'f the students, and counter-attractions have proved too strong." 
As a result of the investigation and i-esearch which this com- 
mittee has done, and frt)m the experience in (tliei* countries, 
we find, first, that the evening school is not as good as the con- 
tinuation school ; second, that we shall probably hav(^ to use 
the evening scIk ol in future until our system is well started, 
but that we sh(.uld not encourage it without careful supervision 
of the methods and the teachers who teach in such schools. We 
■sh(;uld do everything in our ])ower to l)ring about the hearty 
co-operation (.f manufacturers and employers in the matter of 
granting time off during the day time in order that the boys 
('.nd girls may be fresh for tlit^ evening. We also recommend 
that all illiterates under 21 years of age ])e compelled to go to 
evening school wherever they are established. Evening schools 
can ))e established by petition as in Massachusetts. If 25 per- 
sons petition for an evening schi ol, it shoukl be started. As 
far as possible, evening school work should lie supplemented by 
lectures, debates, etc. 



TRADE SCHOOLS 

Difficulties relating to the third factoi* in the order of progres- 
sion is the trade school. In most cases this has been the starting 
point in America. It is easier to put up a building in some city 
than it is to work out a comlnned system for the whole city or 
for the whole state. The costly building and equipment, and the 
many questions of adaptability and methods make the trade 
school problem the most serious one of all and the hardest plan 

■ to carry out properly. In the case of the trade school, we come 
at once to the discussion as to whether trade schools should be 

■encouraged in America, or whether high schools should take over 
the trade school work. There are those who believe that trade 

ischools should not be established and that the high school ought 
to do industrial work of this kind. AVe know, however, from our 



(•() KKroKT OK 'riiK Commission I'i-on I'i.ans kor the 

statistics that a lar^c inajority of hoys and gii'ls will never 
go to hiiih school, and t'oi- this ma.joi'ity sonicthin^' must l)e done. 

The connnittee on industrial and technical education of tlia 
National council of education July 1, 11)10, says: "From the 
ev'idence whicli the committee has ol)tained, clearly hoys who en- 
ter mechanical trades almost without exception leave the public 
schools before graduatinj? from the orannnar school, and it should 
be recognized therefore that tlu' hciiiiniiugs of trade education 
if such education is to articulate with our present school sj'stem,. 
must be had in schools that draw their pupils largely if not en- 
tirely from the class of pupils wlio have not graduated from the- 
elementary schools. Such schools. — intermediate, industrial or 
preparatory trade schools— cannot be really paralleled with the 
existin<>- high school. In order to prevent possible misunder- 
standing ])}' the ])ui)ils of the public .school, the intermediate in- 
dustrial school should be freely recognized as independent in 
its re(iuiiements for admission and its courses for study, lis 
(M>urses of instructi( n nuist lie short, 'i'his is essential if some 
Schools are to come within the (n-onomic possibilities of boys and 
girls who will follow manufacturing trades." This l)rings up 
the (pu'stion : AVhat specific subjects shall he taught? What is 
a trade? What is industrial education? What is skill? How 
can we give such training and yet not deprive the boy of the 
American privilege of cutting out the future for himself? 

The establishment of a trade school means one thing in one 
industry; it means another thing in another industry.' The mer- 
est investigation of Americaji industi'ial conditions will show at 
once, that the leaders of today in our gi'cat iiidustrial enter- 
pri.-es have often come fi'om the )'anks of manual skill into the 
ranks of managei-ial skill. If that is so, are we to teach merely 
mechanical things .' 11 we do not teach more, how bi'oad will our 
education be to fit into the entire life of the people? How much 
individual efficiency, or how nnich group efficiency nuist be 
taught? These ai-e (|uestions which have never been thofo\ighly 
investigated in America. To some the learning of a trade means 
the learning of a few mechanical processes. To others it means 
a thorough grounding in fundanientals. 

Again in some trades boys cannot begin at 14 yeai's of age. 
Apprentices are not taken on in ti-ades such as those of locomotive 
engineers, or firemen, or stationary engineers. ^Most of these are 
ti'ades where the apprentices really do not begin t(» leain the 



EXTEXSIOX OF lNDrHi"KIAL AND AgRICI'LTTRAL TRAINING. 61 

tiade until llicy ;iif 17 m- 18 yi-ars of age. They are not physic- 
ally strong eiiouuli. What kind of an intermediate school must 
Ave provide for siu-h jx^ople :' The trade school problem, then, 
is a far more dirfieult one than tliat of the continuation school. 
The public cannot afford to put all of its money into a costly 
building to educate 50 to 100 boys in a community, where the 
same money spread over a large territory will educate in some 
degree thousands of boys. This committee has sought to find 
some way of combining trade schools and continuation schools, 
evening classes and extension work into one unified and economi- 
cal system. Fortunately a trade school can be so built and con- 
ducted that, by combining it Anth the other factors of industrial 
education just mentioned, that its efficiency will be doubled and 
its econcmiic cost In-ought to a minimum. It can be so combined, 
in fact, that it will be adapted to the needs of all industries and 
will fill in the gap in our industrial life in which manual train- 
ing fails. 

What are the problems of the trade school which manual 
training in the high school cannot solve? Summing up in a 
rough way the statement from the National council of education 
report of July 1, 1910, it is evident that the methods which we 
described in discussion of the evening school can be applied in 
the trade school much better than in the high school. It is evi- 
dent that the high school will be more or less dominated, even if 
trade education is brought within its walls, liy an effort to direct 
that trade education toward engineering and the higher kinds 
of technical work. The trade school then is neces.sary in order 
to get the point of view, to get the right atmosphere, the right 
means of working, the right attitude of mind. It is necessary in 
order that the standards may be correlated and made to meet 
the particular needs of the particular individual in direct re- 
lation to his life work. 

Your committee, after examination, believed that the establish- 
ment of separate trade schools should be strongly encouraged 
in evers^ city of the first, second and third class in this state. 
However, a careful industrial survey is absolutely necessary be- 
fore any such costly equipment should be placed. Trade schools 
should be established as the needs arise, and by the co-operation 
of the community and the state in a manner similar to the 
IMassachusetts plan. 

A recent article in the Survev on "How Girls Learn the Mil- 



t<2 Repokt of TiiK Commission I'l'ox I*i,.\ns koi{ 'riii-: 

liiiery Trade, "" shows us the iieinl ol' cjuilioii and of a eareJiul' 
survey. "Should there be schools for ti'aining girls for special 
trades? If so. at what age is it desirable that girls should re- 
ceive this trade traiuing? Of what type should these schools be? 
For exain])le, if they are for girls between 14 and 16 years of 
age, should they be day schools with general and special trade- 
training, or day schools limited to spcn-ial training, or day 
scliools witli |)ar1 lime woi'k in ti'adc .' II' foi- girls over 16, 
should they be si)ecial technicrd, or trade day schools, or should 
they be evening or day continuation trade schools for woi-kers 
already in trades"? How high a standard should they demand 
for their leaching force? How exacting sliould be the rc(|uire- 
ments for entrance and for the continued attendance of pupils? 
How discover a girl's aptitude for a s])ecia] task? How supply 
the demands for an industry wbicli wants many workei's who 
can do one thing well? How train these woi-kers so tliat they 
can do that one thing and yet be efficient workers in the broad 
social sense? How should they test tbeii- i)U|)ils" work and their 
own methods? 

It is api)arent that, if we answer all these (|uesti()ns lu't'oi-e we 
attempt to estalilisb a trade school we will nor waste public 
funds, and it is apparent that such question.s cannot be ansAvered 
unless some expert advice and s(mie investigation can be given 
in each pai'tieu'ar case, foi- the trade school ref|uirements in one 
place and in (me ociuipation will lie absolutely different from 
those in other situations. They cannot be standardized. It is for 
this reason that your committee favors a gradual evolution from 
the continuation school through the trade school as the surest 
means of getting the greatest econo)ny in industrial education. 

This does not mean, however, that the trade schools and con- 
tinuation schools should not be established in a small way at the 
same time in certain j)laces which are of sufficient size and con- 
tain enough workers for such demands. The building trades, 
inetal trades and shoe and leather woj-ks in Milwaukee are all of 
sufficient im])ortaru t> to justify trade schools, ^lany other cities 
in tiu^ state iiave industries which we know at once would be 
benefited by the trade school, and th(> schools could l)e made 
centers for all othci- work by means of the task syst(Mn as de- 
scribed previously. 

Your co)innittee, in discussing' trade schools does not use the 
term nai'fowlw It liicans to the connnittce a vocational scliool. 



Extension of Indusi^rial and AoRiCLrLTURAL Training. 63 

ijiduslrinl or ooiiimerci.nl. Tliese schools ^vill have to be estab- 
lished sooner or later in Ihis country and in our state. The 
great lack of efHcient help of a certain grade and the disoi- 
ganized state of the a]'>})reiitice system to-day will compel their 
establishment. Howe\er, how far they will go, what work tut;/ 
will do, and how they will be combined with onr other educa- 
tional work, are as yet unsolved (luestions. 

Tavo different opinions seem to exist in the world toijay as 
to the future of a trade school. As we have previously said, the 
trade school is not the basal unit of German industrial educa- 
tion. That basis is the continuation school. Dr. Kerchen- 
steiner of Munich says that the tendency of the future will 
be that industrial education will be given in the school and not 
in the factory. He holds that the school can give a broarl 
basis for the future, and that a shop cannot produce a good 
mechanic ; that the variety and prospective, scope and range 
required for sound industrial education, cannot be given in 
a factor}' today. He holds that most of the factories are un- 
able to give any broad educational basis to their students. 

On the other hand, some of the leading authorities today 
assert that the trade school alone never can produce the workers 
who are fitted to meet industrial wants. They point out that in 
the trade school the pupil does not work under actual trade 
conditions, that he is often wasteful and extravagant in ma- 
terial and spends too long a time at each task. He does not 
learn any of the economies which the pressure of shop condi- 
tions makes necessary. The criticisms of the men actually in 
the industry are W' rthy of attention, and no doubt they have 
facts on which to base what they say. 

In the article before mentioned on "How Girls Learn the 
^Millinery Trade," attention was called to an investigation 
made in New York showing the results of some of the best trade 
schools for girls in America. After interviewing 200 of the 
employers, the investigators found that one-half of those in- 
vestigated had formed j)Ositive opinions about trade school 
teaching. "Only three expressed uncjualitied approval; nearly 
one-fourth Avere indifferent ; more tban one-half disapproved. 
'They don't do our kind of work;' 'It is desirable but it has its 
limits;' 'They dim't know how to do any one thing well ;' 'They 
don 't know how ; ' ' Schools don 't keep up with the styles ; ' ' The 
girls are not quick enough;' 'The schools are not good be- 



G-h lii:i'()in' OF TiiK Commission I'l-ox Plans for the 

CMUsc tli»'\' .lie not husiiiC'S-likt' : " 'We li;i\f no use I'oi' 
ti'adc scluiol liifls; they have nn ideas of llicir own:" 
' rrulesiiahle ;' '^Measures aiul cliarts arc not nscd in work- 
rooms;' 'Tiu'v learn liow to make oidy one Iia1 ;" 'Tlie seliool.s 
ai'c no ji'ood hut they onjilit to he." '" .Mannfactni'ers in all 
kinds of indiLstries who have been interviewed, on the whole, 
approve of trade schools, but most of them have some complaint 
and all are strivinti' to discover wherein lie the deficiencies. It 
is therefore with the greatest caution that we should advocate 
trade schools in our state. Investigation must be thorough, 
a keen analysis nuist be made and the latest up-to-date elements 
of success must be studied. It is the easiest thing in the world 
to dogmatize about a trade school; but from the investigation 
which your committee has made, it is evident that trade schools 
Avill l)e as varied as are the trades, and that there will be no 
set pattern to wb.ieh all can conform. There is no doubt tliat 
in some trades the apprentice system coml)ined with continu- 
ation schools and the various other methods which will be 
descril)ed later, will serve the purpose, but there are other 
cases in which no such arrangement can be made. 

A workman today has to steal his trade in a great many in- 
dustries, and in so doing he has created trade schools. Trade 
schools exist today in great numbers and at great cost. In 
fact, every factory is a trade school. A boy steals his trade, 
and by doing so makes the manufacturer pay for it. He gets a 
position by misrepresentation and then i)roceeds to try a machine 
and of course spoils and wastes until found out. When he is 
discharged he proceeds to do tJie same thing again in some 
other place, until finally he becomes a fair workman on his 
machine in some subdivision of a trade. But at what cost to the 
manufacturer, to industry, and to the public, and finally, at 
what cost to organized labor ! 

In an article in one of the bulletins of the National society 
for the promotion of industrial education a factory superin- 
tendent says: "Very few of us have kejit an account of the cost 
of the trade schools which we are maintaining in our respective 
factories. Of the actual outlay for wages never earned, for the ac- 
tual loss and merchandise damaged while learning, and the cost 
of superintendence." Again, the report of the Industrial edu- 
cation commission of Massachusetts says: "The net results of 
this inability to raise up skilled workmen is that our factories 



P]XTEXS1()X OF IXDIS'.'KIAL AND AGRICULTURAL TrAINLMG. 65 

are bet'oming filled with unskilled ignorant laymen and our 
present trouble is to find enough men to direct intelligently their 
efforts. In some lines where our fr.renuui formerly eontroUed 
25 or 80 workmen, he ean now direct the efforts of onh^ 6 ov 
8 of these machine operators." In the bulletin of the National 
society for industrial education we read again: ''The manu- 
facturer is additionally handicapped because very few opera- 
tors are skilled enough to take proper care of their own machines. 
A superintendeut says: 'in the fiictory where I am foreman that 
not a day passes but what some operator has to have assistance 
in keeping his machine in good running order.' There are 
plenty of operators who do not know enough about tlu^ir ma- 
chines to lace a belt or put it on after it is laeed. Anyone 
who has had e.iperience in runing a shop knoAvs to his sorrow 
his pergonal inability to hire pre. per lie p ' n all parts of the 
work." 

Attitude of organized labor. — The labor organizations are 
not oi)p()sing trade schools. They realize now the cost of 
such inefficient labor to them, as well as to the manufac- 
turers. A union is secure if its men are skilled. Unskilled 
labor cannot form a successful union. The higher the skill the 
greater the ]iay. and llio security, and the higher the standard 
of life. It is ol)vi()nsiy to the interest not only of both capital, 
and lal.-r l-ut of t]u> 'Millie as well, that efficient industrial 
instrui'ti('ii l)t- given tln-oug!i the trade school or some modifica- 
tion of it. 

Organi/ed labor will not t.pp(\se trade schools in whi'-h car- 
penters, ])lumbers, bi-ick: 'ayers or others wdio must learn a 
complete trade thoroughly, are taught; that is, if courses oc- 
cupying a certain length of time and requiring a certain degree 
of thoroughness are assured before the boy goes out to work. 
What organized labor is afraid of, is the reckless and indiscrim- 
inate establishment of so-called trade schools which only inten- 
sify the problem of the unskilled man. 

The difficulty in shoemaking is. at once, apparent. This is 
a trade which includes from 60 to 100 different processes. It 
is easy for a man to pick up a ])art of one of these processes in a 
couple of months and if trade schools would form for that 
single process there is no doubt that they would soon over- 
crowd the ranks of partially skilled and inefficient work- 
5 



(j6 Report of tiik Commission Tpon Plans voh tiik 

men, and not lead to that liiL>h ])a.sis of indnstrial education 
which is sought by all thinkers and students of the suhj(M-t. 

Again, the necessity for research and investigation Ix'fore a 
"trade school is established in any particular trade is api)arent, 
when we consider the following con)plexities. The l)road- 
minded manufaeturer wants men who can tit into all the 
grades between the unskilled lal)()i'('i- and the engineers and 
architects at the top. The narrow-uiindcd manufacturer will 
l)e glad to get all kinds of partially skill(>d lal)or. There is 
no doubt that there is some justiiication for this, lie is often 
hard put to it to get a man who can run a machine, let alone 
an expert Avho knoAvs all about a machine, or a group of 
machines. 

There are certain conditions in certain kinds of factories 
which require nothing but speed in attending to machines. 
This kind of speed or so-called "skilT* cannot be worked up 
in the trade school nor should a trade school exist for forming 
a medium for certain employees to acquire speed. Public 
funds should not be invested to bring about such results. The 
manufacturer wishes to turn out workmen. But what are 
workmen? There is a great misunderstanding between the 
manufacturers and the union upon this (|uestion. There is 
no doubt that the best of the union men and the best of ' the 
manufacturers are seeking the same purpose: they are seeking 
skill and responsibility and initiative; they are seeking a higher 
order of man than is now turned out by our industrial system. 
There is nothing inconsistent in the recommendations of the 
American Federation of Labor at Toronto and the following 
quotation from the recent report in July, 1010, of the Conunittee 
on industrial education of the American Manufacturers' asso- 
ciation. Says Mr. Anthony Ittner in that report: "We propose 
to make the boy a skilled workman, superior to his father in 
efficiency and shop experience. We propose also to give him, 
during the time he is learning a trade, more and better school- 
ing than his father was able to get, and consequently the boy 
can go directly from the trade school to a good wage-earning 
position in any shop simply upon his own merit." 

The manufacturer really needs and knows it is for his best 
interest to get this kind of a workman. A few years ago he 
could import this kind of workman from Europe, but the 



Extension of lNDrs):"RiAL and AoRicrLTrRAL Training; 67' 

conditions there have become so good tliat such workmen do 
not come to this country as formerly, although the statistics 
sho-vv that in certain highly skilled trades in America the 
workmen are still nearly all of foreign birth and training. 

It is obvious that in order to have no misundestandiug be- 
Iween labor and capital in this state, with the help of some 
sort of expert commission, as recommended in this re- 
port, agreements should be reached before a trade school 
is started in any particular trade. For instance, if it is desired 
to run out skilled workers, and the question comes up as to what 
are skilled workers, it should be determined at once with the 
highest good of the trade and of the public in view. In the 
article referred to above, upon "How Girls Learn the Millinery 
Trade." we find the following quotation: "All employers 
Avant skilled workers. The Fifth avenue employer Avho wants a 
girl to copy an imported hat Avants a skilled worker; the Broad- 
Avay firm which advertises for a copyist on ready-to-Avear hats 
Avants a skilled Avorker; the retail milliner Avho Avants to hire 
frame workers wants skilled workers ; the manufacturing house- 
that needs 25 Avire frame makers Avants skilled workers. Few 
girls possess all these kinds of skill. Few firms agree upon their- 
definitions of a skilled Avorker. The girl at the end of a feAV 
years in millinery is willing to agree Avith the employer Avho 
said that the 'millinery trade is about 25 different trades.' "' 
Exactly the same kind of thing can be said about the boot and 
shoe work and about a great many other trades. It is evident 
that a good deal of this so-called skilled Avork is not Avhat 
the trade school should or can teach, but it Avill be agreed to at 
once that the trade school should teach men responsibilit.A^ 
should teach men so that they can advance, become captains 
of machines, become foremen. There is no real disagreement 
upon that point in any trade, either among the thinkers like 
John Mitchell on the side of labor or Mr. Ittner upon the side 
of capital. We must teach these things in a broad w^ay in our 
trade school, or else the taxpayers will not get the return for 
their inA'estment in the end, and the state will not get the 
benefit of the existence of a great body of happy, contented 
Avorkmen with a true, high standard of life. We must, in some 
eases, teach correlation between parts of trades. We must 
teach "ability to comprehend complex relations, to correlate 
Avithout friction and Avithout Avaste, the factors of industry ; to 



()8 RKi'oirr oi' 'imik Commission Ui-ox Tlans for rrffc: 

make an iiidiistriai orjiiiiii/.atioii a siuootlily wurkiii'^- macliiiic. '' 
The bi"assiii;iUci-s of liiriniiiyliaiii i-ccently sciil a delegate to 
Gei-Hiaiiy 1o cxaiiiiiic iMuulitions there. They say: "AVe have 
fre(|ueiitly been asked. 'Wherein lies the eause of the better 
«oeial eoiulitiojis of the lierliii brass\\'Orkei' .' ' The answer is 
sniniiied u]) in the words: 'duty, i'('s|)oiisihiiit\'. (h'sciplitir. 
Avork, order and metiiod." Tliese (jualities are iiineh in e\'idenee 
aniony: the officials and eini)loyei"s of laboi-. and the work- 
])eoi)le.'" Vour coniinittee believes that the |)rodu(-1 of oni- trade 
sehools should be up to (he standard. IWit w>' must do more 
We nuist iiive vision and perspective to our men; we nuist 
keep np the spirit of Ainei'icanisni of the past. We cannot teach 
this by teaching- some kind of skill or dext(M-ity in runnin>i- one 
machine: we must give irulustrial training and also encourati*-. 
inspire and swing the doois wide for equality of industrial 
opportunity in the future. If a situation arises like the above, 
it is not the schoolman who can settle it. It must be settled in 
the first instance at least by agreement between capital and 
lalxu'. 

We teaeh the elements of numagerial skill while we are 
teaching manual dexterity. We read the following from the 
repoi't ol the committee of the Society foi- the 'promotion of en- 
gineering education: "It must not be f\)rgotten that many of 
our most ingenhis and capalde machinists aiul mechanical in- 
ventoi's. who have become the pi-oprietors of the finest machine 
tool works in the world, have had no special technical education. 
hut have come up through the old system of apprenticeship."' 
Whatever other countries have done, this spirit of progress 
from the lowest to the highest, this encouragement of ambition, 
which has made America lead in the past, should be kept, 
and the trade schools should keep it. To accomplish its true 
aim the trade schools should be the means of inspiring num to 
try to climb the ladder. The union man and the nuuuifacturer 
are in sympathy with this point of view and can l)e trusted to 
preserve this spirit. 

The union men with good right can insist that these ele- 
ments be taught in the trade school Avhenever such schools are 
estal)lished. The union doc^s not want indusli-ial training simi- 
lar to manual training as it exists in the high school, and does 
not want skill Avhich will merely overcrowd a trade and not 
teach the fundamentals of it; it wants this inspiration element. 



Extension of IxDrK^HiAL and Agrici'ltural Training. 69 

this helpful hroadeuiiig and, at the same time, an ediieatiou 
whieli will allow the man to earn his own living as soon as 
possible. How dangerous a trade school may become to the 
woi'kingman anil to the highest needs, after all, of our entire in- 
dustrial system, is shown hy statistics given in the article above 
quoted on "Hoav Girls Learn the Millinery Trade," from the 
Survey of April 16, 1910. In a footnote we find the following-: 
"A statement in the Millinery Trade Review^ the official journal 
of the trade after quoting eensvis figures showing that in 1890 
there was one milliner to 323 w^omen 15 years of age and over, 
and in 1900, 1 in 285, adds if the manual training school and 
technical institutions continue to turn out milliners in the next 
ten years as they have in the last decade, there will be one 
milliner to every 100 women in the not far distant future." 
All will agree that the union man has a right to be protected 
against this sort of trade education which produces crowding 
into unskilled trades without furnishing any basis for an hon- 
orable living for the future. 

The unions "realize that their power and safety comes from 
having the gap between skilled and unskilled labor just as wide 
as possible, and any agency that will lielp to widen that gap by 
making skilled labor more effective and efficient, they will wel- 
come. They will oppose any school that seeks to turn out 
large numbers of half trained men who will tend to lower 
their standard of average ability and capacity. The good 
judgment of the American workman will make him see in the 
school, that helps to lift and uphold the standard of his trade, 
the most potent ally that has l)een offered him." (Editor of the 
Shoe Technical Journal). 

The unions will favor ]niblic trade education rather than 
})rivate trade education and there are certain principles upon 
which this preference is based. First, the union wants to do 
away with the necessity of a man stealing his trade. In this, 
it will at once be seen that the manufacturer and the workman 
agree. Both are united upon this question of providing means 
for a man to learn a trade in an honorable way. Secondly, 
the union man favors public education because he thinks he 
should not ])<■ coiiqielled to learn a trade through some kind of 
favoritism. lie Avill oppose any trade education or any system 
of it, which may involve even the possibility or shadow of 



id I\'i:i'()irr of tiik Commission I'l-ox Plans i-'oh tiik 

favoritism. It is this wliidi makes tlu- iiiiidii very cautious 
al)out ^n>iii^' into part time schemes. 

In England very little attention is paid to the education of 
jueii wiio are not already in tlie trade. The lal)or union leaders 
there all express the opinion that the emphasis should be laid 
4ipon the education of men wlio are already in some kind of 
work. They are opposed to the training of green labor, as 
a general policy. Of course the continuation schools recom- 
mended in this report would pi-oxide foi- this Ivind of work 
and the evening school would also provide for it to a certain 
extent. But our American labor union people take a broader 
stand. They do not want to see their sons excluded from learn- 
ing a trade, if they wish to do so. and want some sort of a 
public way of giving them the opportunity. As it is now in 
<'ertain industries, notably in the shoe center, Hrockton, Mass., 
(which is highly unionized) there is no way of learning a trade 
in the city, and there is no ])u])lic school for that purpose. 
The union labor man sees liimself in a peculiar position. A man 
has no chance to send his boy where he can get the vocational 
training which he desires. Tf he goes into a factory, he must 
take the chance of stealing a trade. However, the demand for 
labor is satisfied l)y men who have leai'ned the trade or some 
part of it in sonu' small manufacturing estal)lisliment in another 
part of the country. After a man has learned some part of 
the ti"a(b' he will then go to Bi-ockton and the union nuist 
sooner or later admit him because he is a serious menace if al- 
lowed to Hoat around. In this way the son of the union labor 
■man is dej)rived of his o])portunity to learn a trade and his 
place is taken by an outsider who has stolen it at the cost 
of the small outside manufacturer. The American mechanic 
then, welcomes any fail* proposition which will give him a 
•chance to educate his l)oy so that he can eai-n a living. 

There is a possible use of the trade school which is of vital 
interest to the trade union men .just at present. There is one 
unfortunate situation which is constantly i-ecuri'ing. and that 
is the case of a man who has been, working at a machine his en- 
tire life and finally finds that this machine has suddenly gone 
out of existence because of a n<'w inxcntion. When a machine 
is Avorn out and a new invention comes in the man is a Ism 
practically Avorn (uit. and is thrown upon the scrap heap. A 
bi'anch of the trade school woi'k is necessarv which Avill deal 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 71 

merely with the question of skill of a limited degree and not 
"with the broad question of industrial education. If a man 
is knocked out at 45 years of age and can't get a job on a 
machine, something must be done. It means utter demoraliza- 
tion for his family. It prevents the attainment of a higher 
standard of living for the workman. He can neither buy his 
home nor educate his children. Other workers will observe what 
has happened to him, become discouraged, seeing no hope nor 
opportunity before them, and consequently become discontented 
•elements in the ranks of labor. It is the duty of the state and 
public educational institutions to reach out a hand to this man 
and lift him over the stile. In the past in some trades or 
jjarts of trades, the unions have done this themselves. Notably 
in the printers trade, when the new linotype machine came in 
and replaced the hand work, the printers put up machines in 
their quarters and taught the old men the new machines. The 
same thing was attempted Avhen the plain loom became the 
fancy loom, and also in the case of the moulding machine. It 
is admitted by most labor leaders that this arrangement can be 
carried out in some trades. 

If it is properly organized the trade school will be ac- 
ce])ted by the public as a great democratic school, helping the 
ordinary Uian to meet the ordinary duties of life. To ])e a 
great democratic school, it must l)c something more than a 
trade school or an industrial school. As Professor Person says 
in his book upon industrial education: "A system of industrial 
education fcr instance, nnist not be a rigid, inflexible instru- 
ment, attempting to shape all the individuals it touches after 
the same image. It must accentuate differences of ability and 
of temperament; it must build up individuality." There is no 
greater work wdiich the (Tcrmans have done for their country 
than this building up of individuality through the industrial 
schools. The class distinctions of Germany are being rapidly 
<lemolished by an education which allows every man to make 
the most of himself: an education which i)uts a reward upon 
merit and ability, initiative and brain power; an education 
which alloM's a man to rise up through the raid\s and gives 
him the intellectual basis for advancement. 

We need not only the responsible man as a product of the 
trade school but Ave need also the responsible man as a citizen 
in our state. The industrial conditions which we have today, 



~'2 I\i:i'(iirr ok 'riiK Commission Tpox Plans fok 'nil-; 

the miiiulc division oi' lahoi-. the fad liial workiiieii i'c'-l that 
they have go\ to make llicii- iiioncy and make it (inicddy or else 
be thrown out l)y ohl age, the dullness t'roni automatic actions 
incident to niachiue tending', etc.. must he overcome by insi)ira- 
tion, the teaching of self-respect and the dignity of lalxu-. 
Says the report of the Wisconsin Bureau of Lahoi-, 1910: "(Jen- 
erally speaking, those industries whicdi recpiire the least mental 
effoi't atti'act a ehiss of employees who ai'e lax in morals. This^ 
in a measure, accounts foi- the evil reputation of cci-tain candy 
and box factories." If our industrial education touches only 
on those trades which are really trades, and does not strive to 
bring' with it a nioi-al uplift in all su«'h occupations, and does 
not meet the real conditions of the great mass of sul)di\-ided 
industries where autonuitic skill is used, then it has missed. 
to a great extent, its aim. There is no doubt that the organiza- 
tion of the trade school so that it will accom])lish all this, 
is a difficult task and one to be approached with great care, 
but no industi'ial school s\'stem is successful unless it does 
this very work. 

Says the bulh^tin of the Xalionai society for the promotion 
of industri.d education: "Ft is a difticult pi-oblem to discover 
the kind of training which shall be of direct value to the vast 
nia.iority of industrial workers Avho are (b)ing' ])iece woi'k on 
a)i automatic machine, who perfoj-m a single operation of the 
101 in the factory. M'ho apparently reipiire in thcji- woi'k. 
knowledge of that single operation oidy. a training which may 
require but a day to master, and perhaps oidy a few minutes." 
But cond)ined as we have th.is training \\itii the continiuition 
schools, and other foi-ms of educational advanc(Mnent advo- 
cated in this report, it is believed by your committee, that much 
can be accomplished, ami in the end the ])rol)lem solved, al- 
though much experimentation will be necessary and no one 
remedy will be a cureall. 

The mainifa<'trn'ei'. who points to oin- advantage in tc-ol ma- 
chinery and sa.vs that we can hold oui- own in the markets 
of the world because we can make the machine sujij^ly the place 
of the man. is near-sighted. Tie shows a lack of knowledge of 
history. AVhat he takes foi- efficiency in certain standardized 
products. hoAvever Avondei-ful they may be, does noi demonstrate 
his thesis. Tln' machine never can take the ]ilace of the man, 
any moi-e than the sph'ndid uiachimM'y of a wai" vessel can 



Extension of lNDrs.TRiAL and Agricultural Training. 73 

take the place of the brain behind the gun. The mau behind 
the machine as well as the man behind the gun is needed if 
our civilization is going to last, and although a crowd of men 
doing automatic machine processes by tending machines, may 
seem to some to be the acme of civilization, yet in the long run, 
the greater and more complex the machine the greater the 
sum of intelligence necessary to get from it the greatest effi- 
ciencj'. 

There ar-e those who believe that in the near future, individual 
skill will be an increasing element in the intensive production 
of manufactured articles. AVe are passing from the stage of ex- 
tensive agricultural production to intensive production, and the 
same thing no doubt will happen in manufacturing, or at least 
it is certain that tliere will be more intensive production in large 
scale manufacturing. We cannot always keep on producing 
standardized forms. We cannot exist always with few generals 
and nothing else but common soldiers, but we must have officers 
of all ranks and all degrees of skill : — the more complex the 
•machinery, the greater will he the number and the greater the 
variety of responsible and skilled subordinates. 

The president of the Casino Technical Night School of East 
Pittsburg, Pa., says: ''The age of extreme mechanical spe- 
cialization is ])assing. The large manufactiu-ing concerns are 
endeavoring to make all-round mechanics of their apprentices. 
The great cry is for workmen who can use their heads ; who 
are more than mere routine duplicators ; who can take hold of 
new work and do it right the first time they try it. Manu- 
facturers are also finding out that their workmen are human and 
that a man with a future of trade advancement * * * be- 
fore him, with independence and pride in his work and with 
civic interest in his community will do more work and do it 
better than the mechanically operated machine man specialist. 
Absolute specialization will kill the best impulses of human na- 
ture and ruin the development of our national endeavor both 
industrially and socially." The need for group efficiency is ap- 
parent in all this discussion. 

The German does not use the machine in place of the maii 
to the extent to which we do here, and perhaps in the future 
this will be an advantage rather than a disadvantage to him. 
At least it seems that the great investment made in the 
skill of individuals in Germanv would lead in time, to a hisrher 



74 l\i;i'(»irr ok the Commission Ti-on Plans foh -niK 

culloL'tive skill, a nioi'e intense protliR-tivciR'ss and efficiency in 
a variety of manufactures where the element of personality 
and individual skill must eventually determine success. Frank 
A. Vandei'lip in his article in the World's Mork for June, 1906, 
says: "Notwithstanding all of our advantages we are beginning 
to find that there are 'countervailing losses. While we have 
made it possible for the unskilled man to tend the machine and 
tiu'ii out the i)roduct with wonderful economy, we are now be- 
ginning to find that keeping that man confined to tending tlie 
machine jnid giving him no intellectual interest in his work 
and no opportunity, Avith the narrowest outlook upon the field of 
industry in wliich he is engaged, we luive unint(Mitinally taken 
ahnost certain means to prevent his mental and technical devel- 
opment. We have of late, heard much of the call of the employer 
for skilled men to supervise Avork. We have heard employers re- 
mark that Avhile the loAvest paid ranks of our workmen are 
fully supplied, they have the greatest difficulty in finding men 
to fill the higher positions. The reason is of course most 
obvious. Men need training to become skillful. They must 
have variety of work if their outlook and technical skill are 
to have breadth. They must know something of the principles 
if they are to have valuable original ideas. I believe we have 
failed utterly to grasp the problem of the relation between 
education and our industrial development ond prosperity." 

All of this shows us the difficulties of the trade school prob- 
lem. If it does not meet all these varied conditions in an in- 
telligent and efficient maner. the trade school may be an eco- 
nomic loss instead of a gain to us. Whatever sncli schools 
should l»e. 1hey should not be narrow. The narrowness of the 
industrial experience and of the outlook and perspective of 
the ordinary man, is the chief reason why trade schools should 
be established. This narrowness should not be contiinied in 
the trade school. If a boy enters a trade school and there 
picks up superficial knowledge enongh to go to Avork as a 
journeyman after a few months, it will not be long before such 
a conception of a trade school will disgust the public or be re- 
placed by a broader and more inte\lig(Mit conception. Of super- 
ficial standards and superficial skill, tlii're Avill always be 
enough. It is not the dearth of this kind of labor that manu- 
facturers can deplore with any good ground, because it is the 
easiest to get and train: it is for the many grades above thi» 



Extension of Industrial and Aoricultl'ral Training. 75 

iiiinininiii skill wiiicli must he provided. It should not be so 
broad tliat a man is not fitted to earn a better living at the con- 
elusion of it, or at least has not the foundation necessary for a 
better wage. The problem is one for profound study, not only 
for the teacher but for the economist. It is a problem for gradual 
evolution, for co-operation between manufacturers and em- 
ployers. Standards should be fixed by both and kept. If the 
manufacturers refuse to hire a boy who has been in a trade school 
unless he has a certificate" of efficiency; if they can make such 
an agreement and will not hire men unless such certificates are 
produced, this Avill be one great step forward. It will prevent 
the influx of boys into trade schools who have no purpose 
except that of staying a few weeks in order to pick up some 
knowledge of one machine. The trade school cannot succeed 
unless the employers and employees combine, co-operate and 
study the problem and then mutually insist upon the standards 
which are made. The conception of the ^Massachusetts plan, 
by which the years between 14 and 16 can be taken up with 
broad fundamental education directly related to the conditions 
of industry and the last two years from 16 to 18 be used as 
a time when greater skill and even manual dexterity can be 
insisted upon, seems to be a good solution of this question. It 
is in the first two years that the fundamentals may be laid 
which later on may lead to managerial skill. For instance, 
if all stenographers were given a better vocational foundation 
in business subjects between 1-4 and 16 years of age and then 
be given a year or two to acquire skill, there is no doubt that 
the ranks of stenographers would not l)e crowded by the al- 
most useless, low^ paid girls who have no future before them. 

Your committee has prepared bills which provide for state 
aid to trade schools, the establishment of trade schools, and for 
an investigation of the indnstrial local conditions, so that the 
data will be obtained upon which later classification can be 
based. 



APPRF.NTICE SYSTEM 

For a long while manufacturers have tried to rehabilitate the 
old apprentice systt^m. The^^ are trying to do this now in 
England. A great many empluyers in this country who have 



]4{) KkI'OKT Ol' TIIK ("OM. MISSION I'i'OX Pl.AXS F()K TIIK 

Iv'u'd tln' (»'(1 iippicnticc system s;iy thai it will not work in 
-America. Anotlici- class ol' ciii|)loyc!s arc c(|iially jxisitivc that 
an apprentice system can i)e worked cut wliicli will he of ser- 
vice lici-e. in fact, they are now w(trkinii- it out. \Vc liave been 
<:-ompletcl\ (liscouragetl as to the old api)i-enticc system and 
recently we have reeeivetl a li'ood deal of encouragement as to 
the new system. As there is an oppc.rtiniity Uw jiood pay by 
stealing a trade and obtaining work at onee, most boys do 
not want to go through a long ap|)i'eii1iceship of the old fash- 
:ii:n(>d kind, especially when the wages which the hoy receives 
•when, he finishes his term of indenture are not greater than 
those of some man who lias stolen his trade, or those of some 
■"handy-man" who has picked u|) a. machine in a "rush" 
period and who by sheer i)luck and ingenuity "made gcod " at 
it. This is especially true of our .\mericaii hoys. (,^uick and 
iilert, they prefer to get quick i-esults and high pay rather 
stealing a trade and obtaining work at once, most boys do 
not care t(! become apprentieej-, and we are ni;t turning out the 
thorough workmen <;f the old standai'd. In fact, if a man asks 
"for a job in a slice factory today and tells the emp'oyer that he 
is a shoemaker, it is very probable that he will n(.t get a job un- 
less he can show skill in (.ne ])artieular jji'cccss. AVhat ai'e 
"wanted ai'c rapid workers at some jiarticular part of the trade. 
Again it is apparent that a definition of ''ai)i)rentice" and a 
<',efinition of "trade" is necessary in evei'v ])articulai- occupa- 
tion. Jn fact, many employers say that they cannot get n^gnlar 
apprentices, and ^li'. Di'ajK'i", ccunuissioner of education for the 
state of New York' is the authority for the stat(>ment that then^ 
^re many less apprentices in the tmdes than the i-ules of labor 
organizations allow. TTowever. a good niany industries still 
maintain appi'cnticcship. and in them, rules are fairly well 
kept. This is notab'y so am< ng bricklayers, carpenters, ])lumb- 
;ers and others. If there is any trouble with the apprentice- 
ship system in these latter tr-ade--. it is because they adhere too 
closely to the manual and technical side and do not do enough 
in the teaching of the bi'oader things which are essential to a 
more complete comprehension of the work. For instance, a 
man ma>- be apprenticed t(» a bricklayer and haxc \evy little 
knowledge of building construction or draAving or business 
jHi-ithmetic. but he could Inive thesi^ taught to him. This ap- 
prenticeship system can be \\orl\ed out very satisfactorily in 



Extension of Industrial and Agkicultural Training. 77 

these latter trades in eonjnn(*ti(iii witli eoutinnation schools.. 
The difficulty arises in the more siih-di\ided trades where the 
handy-man. extra man, or the man who steals his trade pre- 
dominates. The eompulsoiy eontiniiation school as outlined 
j.reviously will .do very well up to 16 years of ag'e, hut as we 
have already learned, some of these trades do not take ap- 
l)r<'ntiees hefore Hi years of ajje. The right kind of an appren- 
ticeship system in these sub-divided trades- will be a means of 
broadening the knowledge (f the workmen and lilling in a 
£rap in industrird education. 

The finest thing in the workman is his ambition, his desire 
for fine work of an artistic rpiality, and his pride in his trade. 
If the comprehension of the whole trade is denied him by 
a system of apprenticeship which does not carry with it a knowl- 
edge of these elements, then that apprenticeship system is in- 
deed of small use. Incapable workmen are produced, and as 
time goes on these workmen often become burdens on the state 
because, as has been stated, a new invention comes along and 
throws them out of work. An apprenticeship system for in- 
stance which would teach merely how to sew shoes would not 
be real apprenticeship. 

This kind of ai)prenticeship is dis-couraged by the leaders of 
industrial education in America today. There is no need to 
waste time on it ; it will kill itself. However, the apprenticeship 
Ahich will teach a man some of the fundamentals in the trade,, 
as outlined in the plan proposed by your committee, can doubt- 
less be worked out. The plan in ^Milwaukee at the present time 
by which class rooms are fitted up for workmen in the factories, 
and the instruction is being given by the university extension 
division in the factory at the expense and time of the employ- 
ers, is an example of what can be done. This work should be 
made still broader in the future. 

It is well known that many of the big manufacturing enter- 
prises and railroads in our country have strong special in- 
structional departments in their plants. ]\Iost of these combine 
some general education of a specialized type with the actual 
manual education, and some of these will form a good guide for 
us in the study of this question, ^lany systems of this sort, 
rdthcugh temporarily effective, are too narrow for our stan- 
dards. 

Says the late Carroll D. Wright in a paper before the Nat- 



78 JxKi'oirr OF TiiK Commission Tpox Plans kok tiik 

i(.iuil s()ci('t_\' for the pi (Hiiot ioti (if iiidiistrijil fducal ion : "Some 
liiiic a^'o a1 a licarin^- on the stilj.jcct oi' indii^li-ia! education, I 
asked tlic inanaKcr of a ^reat works engaged in the production 
of niachiiiery if his apprentices knew anything whatever of 
the ])hysics of thcii' woi'k, whetlier tliey couhl make a calculation 
Telative to the power applied hy the dilTcrcut diaiiictcrs of 
■criving wheels or of the different sizes of cog wheels, and he 
^mswered me very promptly that they knew nothing whatevei- 
of such methods. The a])pi'en1ice system, |)ure and simple, 
would not teach them. P>ut the industrial school i)ri:i)ei\v 
vcpiipped would have taught the men all such things. The 
thoroughly skilled mechanic ought to undeistand not onl\- the 
physics of his work, the science ami the mathemalics. hut 
something of the art itself. It Avould then he possih'e'in one of 
our great modern manufacturing establishments to secure for 
this apprenticeship system from the industrial school, the very 
best possible equipment that could lead to the highest efficiency. 
This is the need of the day in the work that is progressing." 

There is no doubt that the extension division of the uni- 
versity can add a broadening element of this kind far the small 
manufacturer or for the single manufacturer in a small 
town. The continuation school can do it wherever it is estab- 
lished, and the evening school can be of service in doing it. 
Part time arrangements can be made with trade schools which 
can fill in this gap. But whatever form of apprentice system is 
adoi)ted, it will not succeed unless the apprentice ccnti-act eon- 
tains an assurance of this broad training. It will not succeed, 
for men will not go into it, since it off'ers no i)articular o])por- 
tunity in the future, and it is not the right kind of an educatit)n. 

Part time arrangements. — This brings us to the consideration 
of the whole (luestion of "part time" in apprenticeship. "Part 
time" schemes have the elements of great success in them, be- 
cause they are as a general thing by nature ''short courses." 
The value of the "short courses" has already been discussed. 
Suffice it to say, that if the apprentice Avorks in the factory and 
at the same time takes some kind of a "short course" work or 
^'part time" work in an educational institution, he is probably 
getting, if not the broadest industrial education, the most effi- 
cient education of Avhich we know, for it is related to his needs, 
more than any other. However, "part time" arrangements 
have limitations also: thev are often too nai'row. 



ExTEXsiox OF Indt'strial and Agrico.tural Trainikg. 79 

Apprentieeshi]) continuation schools and "part time" schools 
really differ very little in the main concept ; they are all means 
of givintr more training* to students between 14 and 20 years of 
age. The agricultural "short course" is a "part time" and 
<-bvious'y i\ho a continuation school. In the Fniversity of 
Wisconsin, although the emphasis is laid upon the practical 
dairying, butter-making, stock judging, etc. in the "short 
courses," yet the broader aspects of education have not been 
altogether neglected. As has been pointed out, the continua- 
tion school in Germany allows the boy who is actually in trade 
to give a part of his time to school work each week. In that 
sense, it is a "part time" school. All kinds of "part time" 
arrangements have been tried. In England the "sandwich 
system" provides for long periods. 6 mrnths in a factory fol- 
lowed by 6 months in a school. In all cases which have been 
successful, however, the instruction is made to fit into the actual 
work. The boy gets instruction especia'ly adapted to fit 
him for his work in the factory, and ability to answer the 
questions which he must meet every day. 

Pitchburg system. — Many make-shifts are now existing in 
America which, although they do excellent work, do not accom- 
plish the same results as a "part time" school. The "Fitch- 
burg system" by which a boy working in a shop takes one week 
in the shop and the next week in the high school, while his mate 
takes his place, is open to certain objections. In its application 
to high schools in America it should be carefully studied before 
being adopted. Unless the high school methods conform to those 
which we have discussed in the evening school, trade school and 
continuation school, it cannot successfully do its part of the work. 
Unless specialized teachers and specialized courses can be given 
in the high school, the system does not really meet the demands 
and the result, although it may be good, will certainly not be 
that broad understanding of industrial conditions so essential 
to the improvement of our modern conditions. Unless we have 
special instruction and guidance in the factories and special 
methods in the school, the results wl]1 be much the same as the 
eld apprentice system. The students in this work have not been 
separated from the otheirs while being taught in the high 
school, and adequate provision has not yet been made for cor- 
related shop instruction, in fact, a complete apprentice system 
cannot be said to exist. There is also no general supervisory 



80 Rei'ORt of tup: Commission I'i-on I'i.ans for tiik 

body. Kiuploycs or oryiiiiizcd l»()ili('s of lliciii li;iV(' iiotliiiig to- 
say about wiiat shall be tauglit, or liow it sliall lie tau«rht, in 
hijj;h st'liool or factory. Evitlently this plan is in course of evolu- 
tion. As sufjgested before, tlie American Federation of bdjor 
does not advocate this kind of an ai'i-annciuent. In the tirst 
place, tlie boy has to tind his phice in tiie factory before he can 
yo to schcol. In <b)ing' so. the American Federation of Labor 
believes that the wluile thin^i" ma\- be open to favoritism. 

Cincinnati system. — The Cincinnati "part time" system 
whereby young men who are being taught in the engineering 
sehool are sent out into the shops and factories for a certain 
time, and the continuation school, where boys are instructed in 
an arrangement almost identical Avith the German- continuation 
school, ought to be distinguished from the Fitchburg system. 
The latter will be in the end just as costly as if trade schools 
were established. T^nless there are teachers and special depart- 
ments, it will not ])e a success. To get the teachers in the spe- 
cial departments, the outlaj^ must be made. The Cincinnati 
scheme has its special departments, and so there can be correla- 
tion and co-operation between the school and the factory. There 
is no alternative. Unless we use the right methods and g(4 the 
I'ight kind of an instructional force we cannot ()l)tain the ])est 
results, and all this costs money. 

If a boy goes into an ordinary factory today, and there is no 
instructor there to take charge of him, he will be i)ut at some 
one task and perhaps kept at that one indeiinitely, and there will 
be no order or arrangement by which he is ])romOted from task 
to task or by which lie can get a broad grasp of the s\d)ject. 
Co-operation between the school and factory is essential. 

There is another kind of "part time" arrangement for cer- 
tain of the building trades in Chicago which seems to be of great 
service. Some of these trades have a "slack" time .iust as in 
farming, and there is no doubt that an ai)i)rentice system can 
be devised so that during this time the boys can be sent to school 
and paid while they are in school, and thus be given instruction 
which is practically the same as the ''short course" agricultural 
sehool woi-k. AVhich'ner way is adopted, unless there is an in- 
structional force in the factoiy our apprentice s.ystem will not 
meet with the highest success. 

Your committee believes that an apprentice law ]>roviding for 
correlation between the continuation sehool and the usual ap- 
prentice work should be put upon the statute books of the state 



Extension of Ixdis-'kial and Agricultural Training. 81 

of "Wisconsin. Tliis law should provide that at least 12 hours a 
week of correlated, broadening education should be given until 
at least 18 years of age or until the apprentice has completed at 
least 2 years of apprenticeship. The Wisconsin apprentice law 
was drafted in 1840 and is useless paper today. 

Unversity extension in relation to apprenticeship. — We have^ 
in this state today, factory villages. These factories are not 
large enough to employ instructors, but by fitting up rooms 
in them for the university extension workers in the man- 
ner now provided in Milwaukee, together with the estab- 
lishment of co-operative classes in the high school, similar to 
.those in Beverly, Mass., a good beginning could be made. If the 
high school will co-operate intelligently in the plan, and establish 
classes which will tit into the work done by the extension 
division in the factory, which will he closely related to the special 
industries of the locality, it is very probable that a make-shift 
of some value can be devised. However, before such a make-shift 
is adopted, it should receive the approval of the industrial de- 
]iartment which is recommended by your committee. These 
matters should be very carefully studied, because they may easily 
cost a great deal without giving commensurate return, and be- 
cause of the opposition which may come from trade unions unless 
they conform to the idea of free public trade education which 
the trade unions are so persistently advocating. 

The modified Fitchburg-Beverly scheme should be closely 
studied. There is no essential difference between this system ot 
apprenticeshij) and the compulsory apprentice continuation 
school of Germany, if compulsion is introduced between 11 and 
lb and the apprentice law be changed as suggested in this re- 
port. If em})loyers must send all boys betAveen 14 and 16 to 
school for a short time each week and if they are also compelled 
to fix their apprentice system so that a good deal of special 
correlated instruction every week be given, as suggested, until 
18 years of age, then the chief argument against the Fitchburg 
system is removed and the high school can l)e effective to the ex- 
tent to Avhich it adopts methods and teachers which will bring 
about good results. 

It is unwise to think of establishing a minutely perfected state 
system at once. It must be a matter of first steps of growth, of 
evolution. First steps are all right if they are economical and 
we know at what we are aiming. 

Best results will be obtained in the end, when all such schools 



82 Hki'ort oi' 'nil'. Commission I'l'ox I'laxs fok the 

ai't' as far as pussilili' public schools. When tlicy arc j)iil)lic 
schools, they will lia\c the diicctioii l'i-om school men as well as 
I'coin employers aiui employees; and a comi)romis(^ tx^tweeii the 
school men and the em]iloyers and employees will he the rip;ht 
one in the end for all coiicernetl. in some trades the compromise 
has already been made between employers and the employees, 
and the apprentice system is regnlated by both. This is i)artic- 
ularly ti-ue in some oi' the building trades. But there is always 
a third element. — the public, and this element should he eonsid- 
ered, in order to have the proper balance. It will be seen at once 
that there are very delicate ciuestions involved in any system of 
ap])rentice work. The conditions of lahor, the strife hetween 
lal)or and capital, make this question one of greatest difficulty, 
when any plan is sul)mitted which calls for co-operation between 
a pi-ivate appi'entice system, and a tax supported public school. 
For instance, what will become of the apprentice in case there 
is a strike in the factory? The employees naturally want to have 
such relations closely defined and are xovy doubtful about the 
ultimate success of any kind of an apprentice system wliich does 
not have a pu])lic school hasis. 

Beverly plan. — In the Beverly school scheme tlie factory has 
a M'orkshop fitted up for 25 boys. One week 25 hoys work and 
the rest go to the high school, and then another division takes its 
place. The company hires competent instructors in the factorv 
and the city binds itself to provide instruction in shop inethods, 
English, mathematics, drawing, chemistry and other studies. 
These studies are so arranged that they dovetail into the actual 
work of the factory. The company takes in boys from 14 to 18 
who have passed the 6th grade. The remarkable point and the 
safe point, both from the standpoint of capital and labor and 
also from the standpoint of true industrial education, is that the 
arrangement is controlled entirely by a committee composed of 5 
members of the school board, and one or more citizens of Beverly 
appointed by the mayor. Every factory has a representative ap- 
pointed by the mayor upon nomination of the proprietors of the 
factory. As an additional safeguard, the whole is under the 
control of the Massachusetts commission on education and state 
aid is given the city of Beverly to cany on the work. This 
seems a good combinati(m, Init unless the factory is as large as 
the United shoe machine company at Beverly, the shop instruc- 
tion will not be adequate. It is not often that firms are found 



EXTExXSIOX OK IXDI'STRIAL AND AgRICTLTURAL TRAINING. 83 

who will see matters in as broad a way as the United shoe ma- 
ehine eonipany of Beverly. There are few places indeed in Wis- 
'(•o)isin where sueh co-ojieration eoiild he carried out. If siieeess- 
fully carried out, it would provide a means for making the high 
school a real factor in tlie life of every eonnnunity. 

Boston continuation schools. — In Boston the merchants and 
husiuess men have realized the necessity of part time appren- 
tice or continuation classes. Through the splendid work of 
Prof. Paul Hanus, Mr. A. L. Filene and others, a clear under- 
standing of the value of these arrangements has come about. 
There is the most enthusiastic co-operation between the dif- 
ferent elements. The school committee of Boston announced 
recently that it would give class room and equipment if 
the business men would co-operate. The result is that con- 
tinuation classes have been started in the leather industries, 
wholesale dry goods and salesmanship. Some of the large 
stores, 'like the Filene store, have part time arrangements or 
continuation schools of some kind, right in the store. In this 
eontinuatioii school program, two afternoons are given every week 
for these classes in special rooms in the center of the city. The 
merchants allow their employees to go to the school without loss 
of pay. ^^he whole problem in industrial education would be 
soon solved if we had sueh business men everywhere. 

If the manufacturers of the state of Wisconsin, so justly noted 
for their enthusiasm for industrial education, would join in this 
helpful manner and if the trade unions would give that hearty 
support to arrangements of this kind which is given by their 
brethren in Gennany and in England, we could solve the ques- 
tion of part time and apprentice systems very quickly. 

Chicago building- trades agreement. — The following descrip- 
tions of the system now used in Chicago in the building trades is 
given from a paper by Luke Grant in bulletin No. 6 of the Na- 
tional Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education: "To 
show that the wage-earners are in favor of industrial and tech- 
nical education for the youths entering skilled trades, I wish to 
give an illustration in this city. Through a mutual agreement 
between the building contractors and the organized carpenters 
and bricklayers, the apprentices in those trades are reciuired to 
attend school for three months each winter during their appren- 
ticeship period. An allowance in the length of the apprentice- 
ship period is made if the boy has received a certain amount of 
technical education before he goes into the trade. At the present 



84 IxKroHT OK TiiK Commission- Tpox Plans for tiik 

tiiiu' there are suiiietliiiiy like 4(H) ai)i)reiili('e carpenters attending- 
school in Cliicago. There are about an ecjual number of brick- 
layer apprentices. While the credit for inaugurating this system 
of education for the api)renti('es is due in a large measure to one 
l)r(iiuiii(Mit contractor, the workiniiiiien i-eadily took u|) the idea 
and have worked hand in hand with the employers to inake it 
a success. In fact the Avorkiugmen are now moi'e enthusiastic 
over tlie i)lan tlian ai'e the contractors. 

Although the system was inaugurated only 6 or 7 years ago 
and is not even now as ])erfect as might l)e desired, its effects are 
discernible in tlic (piality of the young men that are being turned 
out to earn their living as skilled workmen. I am informed that 
in a few ijistances in the carpenter trade, boys have been selected 
from the ranks and given responsible positions. 

During the months the apprentice youths attend school they 
are paid a regular rate of wages agreed upon according to the 
length of their term of apprenticeship. They are not under tha 
control either of the carpenters' union or of the employers' as- 
sociation, but are under the control oL' a joint board composed 
equally of contractors and journeymen. 

If for special reasons, such as the supi)ort of a mother or of 
yoiniger members of a family, an apprentice desires to remain at 
work instead of attending school, liis particular case is investi- 
gated and if the permissicin is granted, lie is re(iuired to attend 
a night school in lieu of the day attendance. I should, perhaps, 
explain that most of the apprentices are paid a higher rate of 
wages than the s1i])nlate(l scale while Hiey are at work, and are 
paid only the stipuhited scale wliile they arc attending school. 
This naturally creates a desii-e on the ])art of some of the boys to 
shirk school if possible, bnt on llie whole tlie rules are well car- 
ried out.'* 

Here is a condition which seems to be almost ich'al. But it 
shows us also how different some trades are from others. It shows 
us the necessity of investigating different trades with a view to 
iinding out how this "part time" work can be worked out. This 
arrangement is very nuich like the "short course" at the Uni- 
versity of Wisconsin and such an arrangement could be entered 
into with a trade school in a big city or with a university ex- 
tension division in a small city. 

In the older countries, the labor unions insist upon the most 
rigul ol)servance of educntitmal standards by apprentices. If 



Extension of iNorsTRiAL and Agricultural Training. 85 

the luanufacturers and lal)Oi'ers t'oni])iiie and maintain the stand- 
ards ;is Ix'for'e suggestefl in this report, doulitless the proper plan 
ean l)e worked out, hut your conunittee still insists that the pub- 
lic has an interest in the matter and that the public should be 
bodies in all these arrangements. 

Your conunittee has drafted ajid is submitting to j'ou a bill 
for a revision of the apprentice laws of the state along the lines 
herein advocated. 



ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL 

Your conunittee recommends that state aid for industrial edu- 
■cation be distributed by some department created by the stale for 
the encouragement and supervision of industrial education. 
Preferably this should be division of the state superintendent "s 
department. The law should provide for a secretary who should 
have charge of the organization and inspection of these schools. 
It should also provide for a temporary commission lasting C 
years to be appointed by the governor from employers and em 
ployees of this state. The director of the extension division of 
the T'niversity of Wisconsin should be an ex-officio member of 
this conunission. Ft should work in co-operation with the indus- 
trial education secretary of the state superintendents' office. This 
secretary should be a[)pointcd by the state superintendent sul> 
ject to the appi'oval of tliis commission, and the funds for the 
state aid for the diflCerent schools of this state should also be ap- 
]M)rtioned witii its api)i<)va]. It should be a very important part 
of the work of this conunission to aid in the organization of in- 
dustrial trade schools or industrial education centers through- 
out this state, in. very much the same way that the state free li- 
brary commission does at the ])resent time in the organization, of 
libraries. 

State aid should be given only in ])roportion to the effort made 
by the community. Your committee has drafted a bill which is 
to be presented to you, along the lines here advocated. It will be 
observed that in our recommendation for a separate administra- 
tion we are only acting on the experience of Germany. In the 
first place, in that country nearly all these schools were under 
the general educational de|)artment. Prussia began l)y giving 



8t) Kki'okt of tiik Commission I'pox Tlans for tiik 

the cdiitntl fi) tile l>uic;iii of coiiiiiicrct' and industry; it linally 
was transtVri'cd to the hiircau wiiicli controls matters relating tO' 
i^Toni'ial I'lliR-atioiud atlairs; it was louiid tliat this made the work 
aitogthcr too schohistic and theoretical, and this arrangement 
lasted loi- ojdy (i years, when again industrial schools were placed. 
under the eonlrol of the eommeree and industry dei)artment. 
For a while there was a tentlency directly away from educational 
supervisory l)()dies, hut reeently these educational bodies have 
been given supervisory i)o\ver mostly, in an advisory capacity. 

There seems to be no division of opinion among experts as 
to the necessity of placing the supervision in the hancLs (to some 
degree at least) of employers and employees. Albert A. Snowden 
in a pamphlet upon industrial schools in Wurttemburg says that 
AVurttemburg has in common with other European nations been 
driven to establish an agency essentially separate from the ordi- 
nary educational administration, for th'e direction of the indus- 
trial schools. For history clearly impeaches the ordinary educa- 
tional administration foi- the failure to furnish adequate instruc- 
tion in the industries. It is I'^uropean experience, tliat thoy even 
fail in many cases to do all that lies within their power in this 
regard until forced to adopt a practical attitude by the fact that 
the majoi' responsibility for ])r()viding such instruction has been 
placed upon another ministry (industrial or commercial) or 
body closely in touch with tlie industries and tlic coinmereial 
needs of the country. 

rrof(>ssor Fii-nst C ^Meyei", fornu'rly oL" the I'niversity oi' Wis- 
consin, who wrote the valuable pamphlet upon industrial educa- 
tion printed as a United States special consular report, volume 
'S'S, has the following to say aliout the administrative methods in 
Germany: "The experience of Germany in the administration 
of her industrial schools goes to show that tlie suboi'dination or 
the system of industrial education to the same administrative 
body which controls the system of general education, is unwise. 
It also goes to show, on the other hand, that the total withdrawal 
of the industrial scliools from the influence of the administrators 
of the schools for general education, is likewise deti'imental to 
their most efficient development. As will l)e at once recognized^ 
this is due to the fact that industrial schools have two sides to 
their constitution — an educational aiul an industrial side. 
Proper educational methods must lie employed and the (mIuci- 
tional needs of industrv must be wisely judged. One recpiires 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 87 

knowledge of educational method, tlie other of industrial aims 
and requirements. A wise administration has hence been found 
to involve the participation and eo-operation of two administra- 
tive d('[)artments — that wliich has charge of educational affairs 
and that which has charge of industrial affairs. As was seen, 
such co-operation, though expressed in various forms, is prac- 
tically universal in Germany, that department in wliich is vested 
the administration of commercial and industrial affairs almost 
invariably exercising a predominant control, while the educa- 
tional interests of the industrial schools are generally safe- 
guarded l)y advisors, councils, commissions, and other bodies 
well informed on modern educational method." 

In the light of the fact that despite the great vigilance ex- 
ercised by the manufacturers over the schools in CJermany, they 
are still perhaps too theoretical — that too much impractical work 
is taught, that the student wastes much material, is too slow or 
makes designs which will not sell ; in the light of all this, it 
seems to us that we should not be afraid at this time to emphasize 
the practical side. We should fairly meet the situation and 
through our local administrative bodies and through our central 
administrative l)odies lean towards the practical side rather than 
the theoretical side of the. work. The results will be probably a 
compromise which will include the best part of the scholastic 
work as well as the best part of the practical work. 



AID FROM CAPITAL AND LABOR 

Again there are other reasons why employers should be 
directly interested and have a medium for expressing that in- 
terest. If the employers give their personal attention to this 
work, contribute towards it, look upon it as the chief aid in 
their business in the state, there will be no doubt about its 
success. We not only have to educate our workmen, we have to 
educate our manufacturers and merchants to understand that 
every investment they make in time or in money in work of 
this sort, comes back a hundred fold to them. 

Your committee realizes that if the manufacturers of this 
state organize and contribute with the same enthusiasm to the 
state wide scheme that they did to the Milwaukee school of 
trades, the whole matter will go forward and become successful. 



SS Report ok tiii: Commission I'l-ox I'lans for the 

11" the work hccoiiics tlicorclic;!!, tlic maniirjictnix'r is to l)laiui'. 
]!(' imist be tile otic who, tlii-oii^li liis oro^anizations. must in- 
sist that the emphasis be j^laced upon praetieal results, in- 
sist upon tlioi'oii<>lniess, and by a liroad and liberal policy, strive 
to build up tlic skill and ingenuity of the average man. It is 
i'or this i-eason, that youi' connnittee believes that manufactures, 
employers and merchants should have a place upon this state 
advisory commission. It is the manufacturer's own fault after 
he is represented on this commission if he fails to get results. 
If he does not take interest in the local committee, if he does 
not aim to make each local trade educational center something 
which will be a benefit to his industi-y. then it is his own fault 
if tlie woi'k is not ])ractical. 

Supplementing the j'egular legal rei)resentation. manufactur- 
ers should have special organizations to urge upon their mem- 
bers continuetl action foi- the benefit of the schools. The trades 
iniions should imitate also the splendid work now being dono 
by the American fedei'atioii of labor in encouraging the or- 
ganizalion of trade schools. Organized lalioi- in England 
is now contributing a very lai-ge fund to industrial edu- 
cati(.n through a strong organization for thai pui'pose. If 
every trade union man in this state contributed a little mite 
each year to this great object, it would mean a wonderful re- 
turn to everyone in i)rosperity and in the broadening out of 
the status of his children. For this reason the employees should 
be given a representative upon the local boards and the central 
boards. They shoidd see to if that the proper kind of educa- 
tion is given, and that their interests are guarded. The in- 
terest of the manufacturer and the employee is after all, the in- 
terest of the ]mblic. 

In Germany the trades unions work with enthusiasm for in- 
dustrial education. Both in Germany and in France they 
reconnnend teachers, attend classes, and criticise the instruc- 
tion. It is genei'ally expected that labor unions will support 
these schools in eveiy way and contribute financially. In Ger- 
many one finds the labor unions, uiasfei-woi-kmen and manu- 
facturers vicing with each other in tbeii' pride in the local 
schools and contributing not only money but sometimes tools, 
machinery and designs. This coojieration Ave must have in 
America, before there will be any real success in the work of in- 
dustrial education. 



Extension of lNDrs"RiAL and AoRicrLTrRAL Training. 89 

.Miiiiiit'nctui'crs cspee-ially can cooiu'rate not only in advice to 
local connnittees and in the establishment of schools, but also 
by a. hearty response to the re(inest for shorter hours for the 
boys and girls so that they can attend the continuation schools 
or evening schools, in the payment of tuition, in the donation 
of prizes and scholarships, and in many other material ways. 
Professor Reber in his analysis of the facts given in Sadler's 
book on "Continuation schools in England," says that he found 
the 88 firms out of 97 examined, "pay a i)art or all the fees 
charged the apprentices by the schools. In some cases the 
wages are increased according to combined reports of the 
teacher of the school and the superintendent of the shop. In 
some firms the privilege is not limited to apprentices, but ap- 
plies to employees generally." 

In the investigation made l\v the ^lassachusetts committee on 
industrial education it was found that the industrial schools 
in Ireland "which have been started with a consideration for 
for local conditions and local demands and in which the 
instruction has been strong and of the right kind, have flour- 
ished, while those they started and managed under the opposite 
conditions have languished and died out or have been but 
weaklings if they have survived." It is the duty of the em- 
pl<\vers and employees to see that these schools are so formed 
and managed that the lesson of Ireland will not be lost to its. 

The carefully worked out system of state aid in Germany is 
supplemented to a large extent by gifts from local communities 
and hx^al societies. Thus according to I\Ir. Arthur J. Jones in 
his pamphlet. Continuation schools in the United States: "The 
sources of support for the industrial schools in Berlin in 1896 
and 1897 were — 

State 86,089 marks 

City 329,363 marks 

Guilds 9,1 15 marks 

Societies 12.520 marks 

This shows also that state aid although a large factor, is 
supplemented by the enthusiastic work of all the different 
elements concerned in industrial education in Gernumy. It is 
this hearty co-operation which will make a success of industrial 
education. 



f)() Kkpoht oi' TiiK Commission I'l'ox Plans for the 



OTUIOH ADMIXISTKATIVH .METHODS AND DHVICES 

There are certain methods and eertain (U'tails of achninistra- 
tion whieli must be considered, in order that mistakes will not 
he made in the organization of industrial education. As youi' 
committee has said repeadly in this report, it is necessary 
when we do start, to start ri<i'ht. The j)roh]ems wliich your com- 
n'ittee is now takin^i' up under tliis caption h;i\-e not Ix-cn en- 
tirely solved by them, but as a result of this investit;:ation they 
would warn those who are organizing industrial education, of 
their existance. 

Shall the students in this work ])ay tuition? The Y. ]\I. C. A. 
irien who have had experience with evening schools in America 
will tell you that evening schools conducted by the association 
are well patronized because when a man pays a little some- 
thing he will want to get the wtirth of his money. One Y. ]\I. 
C. A. man in Boston told one of the members of your com- 
mittee that the whole success of the system depeiuhnl upon this 
small fee. In (Jermany as a general thing tuition fees are re- 
(piired in all these schools and especially in the evening and trade 
schools. The j)lan is well thought of. It is held that it gives 
incentive to the student who feels he has some investment in 
the school and that he loses money unless he atten.ds. Jt is 
felt also that this tuition is an aid to the better equipment of 
the schools in the diiferent localities, and that it is just to 
charge students tuition because of th(> fact that the classes are 
so small, heavy e(|uipment is rcMpiired, and the close personal 
attention of the teacher is demanded to a greater degree than 
in public schools or leetuj-e woi'k. In some cases a tuition fee is 
not only paid by pu])ils, but also by the employers. 

It is obvious that in starting a trade school or any system of 
industrial education, the (piestion of tuition should be a matter 
of serious consideration. In America we have believed that 
such instruction should not cost the man who is working any 
more than it costs the man who is not working but giving all 
of his time to stiuly. Yet therc^ is a great ditTerence of opinion 
among expei-ienced students on the (piestion. John L. Shear.^r, 
president of the Ohio ^rechanics Institute, says: ''A free 
evening school is not a success as a I'ule. Those who receive 



ElXTENSlON OF InDI'STRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. 91 

valuab.i.' iustruetioii in subjects that mean better financial re- 
turns and greater efficiency, do not wish to be considered ob- 
jects (if charity. The price must be within their reach and in 
-no case will tlie income from tuition meet expenses. But this 
tuition should pay a portion of the expenses, and thus lead the 
man who invests something in himself to appreciate what he is 
getting. One who is unwilling to make some sacrifice for his 
own good is not worth much. 1 recall many cases where ap- 
parently wortliy students were given all conceivable help but 
were failures in the end. On the other hand, many who have 
made sacrifices for their trade developed at the same time 
noble characters and became useful citizens and important 
factors in the industries with which they ■ became connected. 
These lessons of sacrifice were the making of them. Their 
struggles de\'eloiied character and backbone, as many a suc- 
cessful man could testify. 

The Y. ]M. C. A. charges as high as $45 for a six months' 
(durse. ^lany of the Y. ]\1. C. A. workers have now admitted 
that this is too high and a mistake. ^Ir. Jones, in his pamphlet 
upon continuation schools in the rnited States, says, in relation 
to the Y. M. C. A.: "It must be frankly admitted that as long 
as the membership in the educational classes conducted by 
the association is limited to membership of the organization, 
and as long as it is necessary to hold a $5 annual ticket besides 
paying for a class ticket, ranging anywhere from 1^^2.50 to $5.00. 
€r even $10.00 extra, not counting the cost of class books, 
v.'hich must be jiurchased by the men individually, it cannot l)e 
said that educational worlc in this institution is seeking the 
masses of the poor, for they cannot afford to pay so much for it. 
The association und(.ubtedly appeals to a class of more or less 
.successful young men who wish to improve their conditions 
along specified linos, so it is natural that the men who make a 
financial outlay at the beginning of the term are not likely to 
drop out when the work begins to stiffen." 

In P^ngland every effort has been made, according to Mr. Jones, 
to get those in charge of such work to charge fees for students at- 
tending evening classes, and a report upon this plan in England 
in 1905 says: "The experience of these years, 1902 to 1905, has 
tended to confirm them in the view, that a charge of this kind 
is in the best interests of education. They realize, however, that 
in a few of tlie rural districts and in the poorer ])arts of some 



r»2 I\i:i'()irr ok tiii-: ("om misskin I'i'on Tlans kok tiik 

lowns. tlic ntloplidii nf llic I'cc cluwiiiiii;' system i-('(|iiii'('s to be 
inlroduccd uradunllx' .iiid. indeed, in a small iiuml)er ol" cases is 
still inadvisable." I Iowcni'i-. in Manchester the fees have been 
dropped, and j.ecoi'dini:' lo .M r. Jones. " the increased attendance 
has amply justified the e.\|)erimeiit and the plan has been con 
tinned. "" 

In .Massaeluisetls the state textile schools forniei'ly charged 
tnilion. but the industrial connnission of Massacliusetts al)olished 
the fees after a good deal ol' exi)eriment and a thoi'ongh inx'esti- 
gation. In a repoi't ujx)!! the industiial woi-k of the Interna- 
titmal Typograi)hical Tnion, Mv. W. 1>. Pi-escott says: "Thougli 
tJie tuition fees are as close to cost as it is ])ossible to make them, 
the connnission, believing tliat a taint attaches to a pi'ofit mak- 
ing educational system, has ai'ranged that insti-uetion can be se- 
cured for less than cost. In oi'dcM- to (h) lliis, the union will give 
a rebate of $5.00 to students who have by theii- assiduity and per- 
severence shown thcmselvc^s to l)e deserving. This method of re- 
ward differs fi'om the usual one of offcreing lai'ge ])ri/es for a 
few specially capable students. The connnission aiul tlie union 
reasoned tliat the average man sutfeicd most by reason of tlie 
inadequacies of the appi'cnticeship system, antl it is this man the 
union is most desirous of helping.'* 

From all this discussion it is evident ti'.at ])i'i\ate institutions 
as a whole. belie\-e in the tuition system, while in the |)ublie in- 
stitutions there is a tendency towai'd theii- abolitioru It is very 
probable that in ottr state some anangements will have to be 
made, at first, for a slight tuition. This was fouiul necessary in 
the uni\'ersity extension work, ("eitainly the tuition should l)e 
reduced to a point where it is a stimulus rathei- than a hardship. 
Of course, wdth our compulsory continuation school woi'k, it is 
very probable that there shoidd be no tuition at all. because that 
work is comi)ulsoi'y and the stiuudus is not needed to the same 
extent, it may l)e that this whole (piestion of stimulus is ex- 
aggerated and that the experience of .Manchester and of the 
textile schools in aMassachusetts should be followed in oui' state. 
Ilowevi'r. your connnittee has set forth these facts for what they 
are worth. They have set them fortb as a warning, for every 
school will have to meet this situation as soon as it begins to 
oj'ganize. 

Thei'c is another administrative (|uestion which comes up at 
once in relation to all this woi'k. and that is the ipiestion of some 



Extension of Ixdi'stkial and Agrictlttral Training. !)o 

sort of M reward or certificate t'(.r e()ni[)lete(l courses or subjects. 
]t would seem that souie kind of a state examiuation sliould lie 
i;i\en and some kind of a state certificate issued in accordance 
with tl'.e work completed &:o tliat every man who comj^letes work 
will ha\e pride iu receiviuu' such a certificate. The Drivate com- 
jtanics lia\-e found this a very good expedient in all apprentice 
work, and there seems at first glance to be no reason why we 
eould not use it in our pul)lic work. However, a difficulty arises 
ui)on a more careful examination. The varying standards in 
varying schools must he taken into account. The different kinds 
of w^ork makes the problem quite a complex one. The Y. M. C. A. 
has found it a strong stimulus. It has an international examina- 
tion, and many colleges have accepted the diplomas from this 
work. But your committee recognizes that we must not stand- 
ardize at this time. We must follow free play and elasticity if 
we are to get the best results from the plan we have recom- 
mended. 

Sale of produce. — Your connnittee wishes to put in another 
Avord of warning at this jioint. There are those in the country 
who would advocate the sale of produce in the manner of the 
Eochester schools and of the ^lanhattan trade schools for girls 
in New York City. The latter school is really a continuation 
school of the best kind. The girl goes from the bench, wheie slie 
is actually working upon goods made to sell, to eontinuatioii 
school classes in art, arithmetic and physiology. Certainly such 
arrangement can be made very satisfactory. The point has been 
made that it gives a. shop atmosphere to the work, but there is 
another consideration besides this — the financial gain. The Man- 
hattan trade school for girls pays about half the salaries of the 
school from this source. Some of the other schools add materi- 
ally to their funds by this method. The subject is a grave one. 
The possibility of competition with local industries is a matter 
Avhich must be looked into thoroughly by your governing body. 
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? The value of 
trying after new devices and new discoveries at the cost of bung- 
ling and making unsaleable goods, is the basis of new discoveries 
and progress. If we merely make things which sell, a serious 
change may creep in which may blunt the creative instinct. No 
trade school estalilished in this state sliould take this step with- 
out the most thorough examination of it from every standpoint. 
This brings us to the whole question of experimental work. 



94 Repdht of the Commission I pox I*i,.\ns for the 

Experimental work. — We have before sliowti the value of 
ex])eriin('ntal wdi'k. hiil llie (|iiestioii eouies up. how can we ])ro- 
vide for it? There is jusl at present a iireal (h-al of diseussion 
in Germany upon this (juestion. There are those who hold that 
the experimental shops do little good and eost out of proportion 
to what they are worth. There is no douht. h(twe\-ei-. tliat if we 
can preserve the element of experiment or the eleiueiit of origin- 
ality in our seliool woi-k tiiat it will add a very sti-ong psyehologi- 
eal l)asis to our industrial insti-uction. All the diseov(M"ies in 
the ditferent fields of industrial life tod;iy must not lie left to 
our engineers. Everytliing possible should tie done to encour- 
age the ingenuity of our woi'i<meu. Some mauufacturei's in 
Ameriea totlay point out that the mechanical engineers are not 
doing their proportion of inventing. If the opportunity of 
original woi-k is not cultivated in our trade schools, then W(^ will 
lose much indeed of the elements of American success. The 
creation of curiosity, the awakening of instinct and the encour- 
agement of originality should always be undertaken as a neces- 
sary part of any trade instruction. If these features do not go 
with the trade school, there will be a tendency to make our stu- 
dents mere automatons who merely go over and over what has 
1)een learned in the past. Tt seems to ns that the state indus- 
trial education commission should cooperate with the local board 
to the end that this question be settled in the most economical 
manner with the highest regard for both the welfare of the in- 
dividual, the employers and the public. Some provisions 
should be worked out : your committee is not at this time pre- 
})ared to state how, but in the organization of single industrial 
schools and of the whole industrial educational system, this idea 
of creation, of stinuilus to ingenuity should not be neglected. 

Task system. — We have already several times referred to the 
"task system." The regulation and inti-oduction of this 
method means the overturning of so many of our traditions that 
it requires a special discussion. 

The task system is after all. the attempt made by many 
people today to put into the school curriculum subjects rather 
than set courses on a time basis. Besides being a means of 
•working out our plans, it also forms a basic condition of in- 
centive. We are in an age of hurry ; we want speed in every- 
thing; everything is competition. Competition, whatever its 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 95 

ec'ononiie faults, is a tremendous forc-e for industrial efficiency 
and success. If then, we can say to a boy, "You don't have to 
wait four years or any set time to learn a trade — you can get 
through in three years if you work hard ; the time when you can 
be a wage earner depends upon the completion of a certain 
number of tasks;" if we can say this to him, then we will 
furnish an incentive for him to work intensely, to be alive and 
wide awake. His course Avill not be merely time serving: it 
gives the same incentive which piece work gives him in the 
factory. The task system is not only the basis of the German 
trade school work, but it is also the basis of the correspondence 
school work of America. When the correspondence sheets are 
completed, then the course is done. It does not mean that a 
boy has to go to school for one year or two years or any given 
length of time. After correspondence in the number of courses 
u])on which he works, is done, then he gets his credit. 

If the trade school is to be adjusted to the actual conditions 
of industry today, how can it be successful if it makes no pro- 
vision for speed, energy and ambition"? Speed is one of the 
greatest requisites of today. Whatever faults there are in this 
Bystem, they are American faults — or rather American virtues ; 
it is the way American genius has worked out its success. 
Of course, a remarkable minimum time limit is necessary. 

Managers of apprentice schools and trade schools have all 
given testimony on these points. One man puts all of his ap- 
prentices on piece work and pays them on that basis ; an ad- 
mirable system if properly supervised and if made inclusive 
enough to cover many different kinds of processes. The general 
superintendent of the motive power of the New York central 
lines, J. F. Deems, says: "Class room instruction is largely 
individual, as the same classes may contain apprentices just start- 
ing and others nearly out of their time. Educational ideas 
have been reversed ; * * * the work is so arranged that 
each apprentice may go as rapidly or as slowly as his ability 
Avill allow." 

Evidently this organization which has, perhaps, the best ap 
prentice work in this country has found it profitable to adopt 
the German task system. There is no reason why this method 
cannot be thoroughly studied and arrangements made so that 
the difficulty in adapting it to our conditions can be overcome 
and the system be made the basis of the industrial educational 



:)() IxI'ltiKT oi' TlIK Commission I'l'ox l*l,A.\s |-oK THE 

(•t>-(>i-(liii;il idii rcc(>iiiiii('ii(lc(l ill tills rcpoii. Cci't :iiiil\- if it cMn 
l»(' w(irl<<'(l. it will sohi- the pnihlcm i>\' unitiiiu- the tradr 
MC'hool, till' (lay coiitiiiuat ion school, the hij^h school, and the 
cvcniiiLi' school in one l)uil(Iiii<>' witli one e(|ui|)inent. The ditfi- 
culty will be eiKMiiiitered in adapting' this systeiu to any 
broader aspects of iiidiisliial education which will inclnde of 
course, some lectures. If the lectures come as a matter of pro- 
j?ression. they will necessarily form a time element in the worK 
and yet this ditfieulty is not iiiisiiniioiintable. The "task sys- 
tem" is not a cni-e-all : but woilxcd out in connection with the 
general scheme, it Avill be found eminently practical. 

The <:i'neral |)oin1s taken up in this chapter have been treated 
here because they deal more directly with tin' wiu»le ({uestion 
of industrial edueation. as established locally. The part that 
the uni\-ersity can play in this work has been discussed from 
time to time, but it is necessary to consider it more fully in 
order to see its relationship in all its aspects to all other 
factors. 



UNIVERSITY EXTENSION 

The uui\'ersity extension division cannot, from its very 
nature, do the permanent work of tiu^ continuation and trade 
Bchools. There is a parallel between its methods and work and 
those of the early church organizations. It was necesary at 
first to have some kind of missionary work, as perhaps some 
little local demand became evident. Then circuit riders w"ere 
sent around ; men who preached one Sunday in one little town 
and the next Sunday in another ; the circuits grew smaller as 
time went one until churches were built, pastors secured, and 
permanent organizations esta])lished in each town. 

The university extension Avork can follow the same method. 
"When little centers are established permanent buildings erected 
and permanent teachers secured, then the universitv extension 
work can l)e used as a sort of circuit riding organization for the 
still higher grades of work until the needs of the higher grades 
are supplied by permanent organization. In this way the uni- 
vesity extension Avork can form the means of luiilding up the 
whole system from one which deals even with the needs of a 
'single individual in a little community to a complete system for 



Extension oi' 1xdi-s"kial and AimiCLLTrRAL Trmxing. 97 

the whole state. Tliis very elasticity, resulting in a variety of 
results l)y which ditit'erent grades of students and ditferent 
grades of work can be taken eare of, is just what made Ger- 
man indiisliijil education succe-sful. Witli a mistaken pol- 
icy, yciiie (if liei- e(hica1 ioiial directors, fortunately, how- 
evei-, iKtt llie K^adeis, luive recently tried to grade and 
(lualify this work. Tliis has Keen defeated and the work 
saved fr< m I ecoming static. The i)resent system in that 
country ^\■ith local schools adjusted to local needs, with varying 
degrees of schools from the lowest continuation school through 
to the highest technical school, has been a far better arrange- 
ment for Germany, and for that matter can be a far better 
method to start with in this state, than that brought about 
by a more strict classification. lii the proceedings of the con- 
ference of teachers of continuation schools recently held in 
Germany, we find the following: "Privy Councilor Dr. von 
Steefeld, who represented the Prussian ^Minister of commerce 
and industry, deprecated any minute definition and classifica- 
tion of the uuiiiei'ous vocatiouiil continuatien schools, intimating 
that such luiiformity would lead to mechanical drill while 
the greatest merit of the oitire sys'tem of special schools lay 
in the fact of its not being a system. The wonderful variety 
of the vocational schools offered a i)Ossibility of adapting the 
school to local needs or to the industrial peculiarities of the 
locality in which they were situated. The whole subject of 
classification and of more defiJiite organization of the system was 
referred to a committee for a future report." 

If is just this element of elasticity which Privy Councilor Dr. 
von Steefeld advocates, fhrif makes the extension division 
of peculiar significance. It is fortunate for us at this time 
that we have this organization in our state. In a state like ours, 
confjiining many small \illages \vitli one or two manufacturing 
establishments, the question upon which our whole scheme must 
fall or must live, is what can we do with industrial education 
in each little place? The large manufacturer does not have 
to be discussed. He can teach; he can gather in his apprentices 
and train them, but most of the factories or mercantile estab- 
lishments in Wisconsin are not large enough to manage an 
undertaking of this kind for themselves. Most of our schools 
in the northern part of the state, especially in the scattered 

7 



f.'8 Rki'okt ok Till-: Commission I'i-on Plans koi^ 'imik 

villages, have not enough inoiicy to give any kind ol" an ad- 
vanced course. If Ave cannot give these courses by one means 
■\ve must give tliem l)y another, and the only Avay in which w<' 
can give theni and reach out to all, is thi-ongh the extension 
division, its coi-respoudence methods and its traveling k'Lturers 
and teachers, i'l'ol'essor Person in his book upon industrial 
education says: "Except in those i-are instances of liiu'lily 
centralized states which are able to impose upon theii- ])eo])le 
educational systems created de novo, such an institution must 
he the i-esult of gradual dexclopiiieiil . Wlieii its scope is en- 
larged to meet new situations, to reach new chisses or to traui 
for new activities, this enlargement should be accomplished 
neither bj^ creating new instruments unreUited to the general 
system nor by wholly reconstructing the already exisl-ng sys- 
tem. This should be accomplished by develo|iing new m-'uibers 
which tit into the existing system and Avliich heeonie integral 
parts of it.'' 

"Wisconsin is not a highly centi-alized state and cannot impose 
upon its peoi)le an educational system created de novo. The 
imiversity extension division will not interfere in any way 
Avith tile existing system, but will add a new iiiein1)ei' which will 
dovetail into the gaps in the wliole. It will not only lit into 
the gai)S of the whole system, hut it will be I'le medium hy wliicli 
the results of the highest eeonou.ic research and the results of 
the best econemic and industrial methods can be added from 
time to time. It will be a long time in this state before ever.\' 
city of the third or fourth class can have any very efficient 
higher industrial education. The ehunentary grades will nec- 
essarily be taken care of first and the simple nee. Is ;ulminis- 
tered to. If the spii'it in which this re|)i)rt is written be car- 
ried out, the greatest number will be sei'ved in a little way 
until something can be doue for those who demand more sjiecal 
woi'k. Put it is by means of the extension division thar these 
si)ecial cases can be taken care of. If a young man <uitstrips 
his comi)etitors and by extraordinary brightness devours llie 
educational oppoi'tunities of his prescribed distr'ct. there will 
be only one way in most of the cities ami villages to take care 
of him. and that is by allowing him to expand through the ex- 
tension division. Classes for foi-emen have been formed in 
(Jermanv and in some of th<' e\-ening industi-ial schools in Bos- 



Extension of Ixnrs-r.iAL and Agrici i.tiral TrniN'iN'G, 99 

ton. There is uo doubt that in smaller places it will be a long 
■while before special classes of that kind can be formed in 
Wisconsin. Until these claSvSes are formed, then, these different 
grades mnst Ix' taken care of in some way. because thcs;' hhmi 
camiot k'ave their positions and go to school. The sclio:>l imist 
come to them in some way. 

Says a Bulletin of the New York State Educational Depart- 
ment : "Experience teaches that evening schools are so over- 
crowded in the elementary course that these advance .:'udents 
suffer tlirough insufficient attention. If spccinlly provided for. 
they might become our fareinen. superintendents, and teachers. 
Not only nuist each school year's work be driven home and 
clinched, but each series of year's work mnst be so clinched as 
to meet the needs of industries which shall demand th;-r.;Hghly 
trained men for foremanship." 

When we have scarcely any evening schools in Wisconsin' 
at the present time, how are we going to meet this need .' The 
fact that the investigation made about five years ago by a mem- 
ber of your committee showed that at least 35,000 students 
were taking work in private correspondence sehoi)ls in this 
state and the fact that the Massachusetts educational commis- 
sion foutul at least 50,000 men and women taking work in like 
schools in Massachusetts, is unanswerable evidence of th* great 
demand for this kind of work. If the need did not exist, people 
would not be paying their money. If they could have evening 
schools ready at hand, they would go to them, but it also shows 
that there is a demand for instruction right at home, for work- 
which can be accomplished by a single individual after his 
day's labor. 

The extension division of the university not only has proved 
this, but it has worked out new means of teaching. Its group 
system has been a vast improvement over the work done by 
any of these correspondence schools. It is now capable of 
taking a workman at any stage and dealing with him as an indi- 
vidual : it can take classes of two or three men. or take classes 
of ten men or more, as is now done iu the shops of iMilwaukee. 
These classes can be cared for until regular teachers can be 
secured and regular centers established, thus meeting the new 
miscellaneous needs which are constantly coming into being. 

This method will be an economical one for our state, because 
it insures a gradual and healthy growth. No impractical work 



JUU J^Kl'OHT OK Till-; C"()M.MI>!~1().\ I'loN TlaXS FOK THE 

Avill he (lone. It will iml create i\e novo i)nt it will he a sti'i>- 
ping stone from the (.)Ul to tiie new. 

It does not seem impossible for the (Miiiiiicci'iii^' school ;it the 
University of Wisconsin to extend its suiniuer school work so 
that high class mechanics can come to this school jnst as the 
farm hoys now j^o to the ag'ricnltnral short conrsc. The he- 
iiiiiniiiu' of a school sucli as now exists in (Mieiiinilz. (icnnany, 
"where thonsands of this class of students assemhh' from all 
over Germany and go back to fill np all grades from mechanical 
engineers down to skilled tenders of engines, can be estab- 
lished. For the adnlt, who is and)itious to learn some techni- 
cal process of a special kiiid, this work can be of particular 
value. For those who have passed the trade school ])('i-ii»d. ])Ut 
who must work oi- have families to sup])ort. tin' ditrei-i'iit meth- 
ods of corresj)on(lence teaching can be used. Whei'c the cxcn- 
iug school does not exist or where it is rudinicntfii-y. then the 
university extension work can always fill in. 

Your conunittee, however, believes that liberal provision 
shouUl be made by the state of Wisconsin foi- this work, and 
the c(;st of it to the indi\'!dual should b(^ mateiially I'cduccd. 
The Avork has shoAvn its worth, but the cost should not fall so 
heavily upon the man who is striving to impi'ovc liimsclf. 
Sucli a nuin is the best asset the state has. and the state can ^ve11 
afford to give him the education In' wants at a greatly reduced 
cost. 

The unJN'ersity sunnner school should be better ai'ticulated 
with the whole system so that by cooperation betweoi this 
s(diool and the correspondence methods and other methods pui-- 
sued by the extension division the i)esi i-esults ca!i be secured. 
Yonr committee, therefore, i-econnnends that fees in the exten- 
sion department be reduced, and that the appropiial i( n I'or this 
depai-tment be iiu-reased. 

Movable s(du>ols. institute methods, traveling professur^. 
short courses, lectures— all these means of coniu'cting the eilu- 
cational centei's with the peoi)le. are not new. Th(\v have been 
tried all over Kurope. As long ago as ')(• \e:ii-s. 1 raveling 
teachers were at work in Austria and (ieimany. and many of (he 
good lessons learned in continuation s(du)ols and the trade 
school woik of these coiuiti'ies came I'l om tlu' Icu'inning made 
hv this kind of teaching. AVe have, it seems to us. in the \Vi>- 



KXTEXSIOX OF Ixors'-RIAL AND AgRICULTIRAT. TrAIXIXG. 101 

cousin Free Library Coniinission, a cooperative luetliod -wliipli 
has not yet been inlly .leveloptHl t)ei ause of lack of funds. The 
traveling libraries in cooperation with the extension divi- 
sion, can brino' into onr small industrial centers not only the 
industrial and technical lil)raries necessary, the most up-to-date 
iiislructior.al n:aterial upon c\ery pluisc of i:idu;trinl lif >, l)ut 
als;) all o'her necessary travcliiiji' ccjuip ne;;!: of all kinds. 
Traveling books in small villages will solve many of the (lucs- 
tions of research, and traveling apparatus Avould. it seems to 
us, to some degree at It^ast. supidement this work. 



TEACHERS 

In our description of German industrial education it was 
shown thgft even in Germany the complaint is made that good 
tcnchci's ca'inot be secured. The ordinary man fi'om a Technical 
sch(K^l is too theoretical; the ordinary skilled workman cannot 
teach well. In spite of ad the influence of manufacturers, the 
woi'lc is still t( () theoretical, because the teachers are to theor- 
cti('-al. This syi-tem could be easi'y remedied in AVisccnsin. 
We have .'•ca'cely any traditions of industrial education to fight 
in this matter. Therefore, we can do what we are doing in agri- 
culture. The boys, from our long course agricultural courses 
are now becoming the teachers in the Wisconsin agricultural 
schools. This same thing can he done in the mattter of good 
trade school tccichers. With our workshops at the University, 
with our school for artisans, with the university extension work, 
we siioidd be al)le to fill the needs from the division of tlie edu- 
cational school of the university, which has for its purpose the 
training of teachers of trade work. The establishment of a school 
for teachers of industrial educatii n is greatly needed in this 
state. With the criticism which can be given to the methods 
l^ursued in such a school by the actua' worker.s who are now in 
the field for the university extension division and who are 
teaching in the shoi)s and factories in close relation to the prol)- 
l(Miis which the manufacturers have to meet, a school fi.r trade 
leachers situated at the state university will have great advan- 
tages over any other school in the country. The men who wish 
to be teachers in this woi-k can be R'iven chances to teach in con- 



l(l"J l\KiM)KT OK •nil': Commission I'i-on I'i.ans kou I'lih: 

1 iiiujil imi scliodls w ticrcNcr cstnlilislicd in tlic stnlc li.r p'^-icl ice 
\\()rl<. Such men (•;in he KMjuii'cd to spend ;i cerljiin time in the 
actual work in factories in the state in order to obtain their eer- 
titicjttes. Thus we can combine the |)i-oi)ei- teaeliin^' inethcsds 
with the ;ic1u;d practice. In this way we can buihl up a body 
<\' men who can su])i)ly our teaching' force in i.ur ceid inuatioii 
schools, (lur ti-ade schools and our technical schools. 

In Ireland a plan has been recentl\' started to instruct teachers. 
Jiy this system, schools that aie now open in three or i'our 
large cities in li'e'and give training foi' men who are alrcadx' in 
industi-y and wiio want to teach the trade in wliieli they are 
]»i"oficient . Suuniier sclnols are also provided foi' teachers who 
ai'e teaching the (ommoii bianchis and haxc been tia.ined in the 
general school work so that they will get the pi'actical instruc- 
tion so necessai>' in ordei- to bei'ome an efficient instruct' r in the 
trade seliool. The Tniversity of Wisconsin conld open such 
summer schools and it would be we'l perhai)s to centi'alize the 
Moi'k there for a while in order that the most tlKU'ougli and 
jiractical methods could be worked out, and in oi-dei- tiiat the 
manual training spirit will be superseded by actual fact r\- 
spii'it. 

AVe should not recruit <:ur teacliing foi-ces in this state t'roiM 
manual training teachers who have alreadv set i<h^as upon the 
subject of teaching. Rather we shou'd go to the opposite ex- 
treme ami tak'e piactical men and give them sumniei* school short 
courses. 

In local districts also various expedients can be used. In 
England some of the most successful woi'k has been done bv al- 
lowing the local ti-ade unions to select teachei's in trades from 
among theii- skilhd joinmeymeii. Of cou''se it is easier io select 
teachei's of this kind foi* the skilled manual woi'k than it is to 
select them foi* the general school w(.i'k. such as the teaeiiing of 
fitizenship, English. ])hysics, chemisti-y. etc. it is easier to se- 
lect plumbers and carpenters or cabinet makers than it is to se- 
lect good teachei's with the right standpoint for the othei- work. 



P]xtf:xsiox of IxorsTKiAL AND Agrici'ltikai. Training. 103 



TKXT BOOKS 

In Coniuuiy it is generally tlioiiglit that text books eannot 
lie wi-itten whieh will tit into the varying needs of industrial 
ediication. The Germans helieve that the text books must vary, 
as the needs vary in localities and industries. There are then, 
comparatively very few text books. Every German teacher 
work.s out his tasks and keeps his task book for himself. It may 
he that there is another reason that Germany is not anxious that 
text books be printed; there seems to be a fear that other coun- 
tries will get hold of her methods or her secrets. Whatever the 
caus(^ may be, a great loss is apparent here, as the same work 
has 1o lie done over and over again, as it often happens that 
when a. good teacher leaves the work, the best methods go with 
that teacher. 

The siif.M.'eiia' of the International correspondence schools and 
similar schools in tliis country in printing their own text books 
shows that clever, up-to-date text books can be published which 
will he of the greatest service in industrial teaching. The uni- 
versity extension division has already begun the preparation ol 
books of this sort, and it seems that a system of industrial edu- 
cational leaflets could be issued, at very small cost, so that the 
best experience and the highest skill of the best extension teach- 
ers can be put into these text liooks and distributed among the 
scholars in the continuation schools and trade schools through- 
out the state. This is another advantage to which we fall heir, 
through the exi.stenee of the extension division. These text 
books would cost our state very little, as they could b,e sold to 
surrounding states and the demand for them throughout the 
country would doubtless be very great. 

Your committee lielieves as an essential element in the success 
of these schools and as a directing force toward right methods, 
that the text liooks now existing in manuscript form among the 
extension teachers should be printed by the university and ar- 
rangements made for the distribution of them at cost, among 
the trade schools and classes as soon as they are established. 



1(14 lii;i'()irr ok tiiI': ('()M>:ism().\" I'lox Plans fok tiik 



SKCU.X 1 )A K V ( •( )XS| I )K UAT I ( ).\S 

It \v;is the German philosophe:'. Iluiii!)()!(lt , wlio sjiid: "WliMt- 
cvci- vdu put i'lto the StHte yen must liist |)ut iulo the sdi-ols'". 
If Ihc industrit'il ediu-atiou ndvocnted hy your couimittce will 
h'jid UMM'cly to a better ei-nnomie iiiau. il wiil iiol re;ii-h its 
liiiihest aim. It must Ix- judLi'ed hy its by-i)i-(;duets as well as 
hy its icsult iu dollars ;ni(l ( ents. I1 imisl he jud.u'ed hy its 
efit'eet upon the life of the peii)le and upon human ha|)i)iuess 
and a varying numher of our greit prohlems, social and eeouo- 
mie and moral, witli wliieh we liave to (h-al today. To ])e in itf? 
truest sense efficient, it must he a truly democratic education, 
an edneation which will tit all the needs of all the peoi)le. This 
does not mean. then, tliat it mnst l)e merely ntilitarinn. hut tlie 
effect of it nuist be such that we can answer definitely the (jnes- 
tiou: will it im])rove the moral situation:' Will the l)oy who 
is industi'ially educated und.M- this system he a better man oi- 
a better husband.' Will he he a better citizen.' Will he have 
a higher sense of moi-al obligition? Will he be m;:re tiaitliful, 
lionest? Will he Iwive a ])etter IMiysi(ine? Will he be a better 
factor in our life today .' 

It is obvious that in order to make this system so that all these 
(|uestions can be answei'ed in the affirmative, additions mnst be 
made to the iiidustri-d ]')roDiam. The Germans have not for- 
gotteu to do this. They are noted as a law-abiding and 
])atriotic people. Thei-e is no doubt that tlie system l)y which 
citizenship is taught iu the (ierman contiiniation schools has 
its ( tfect upon this spii'it in that country. 

In this connection, Dr. George Kerschensteiner. of ^riuiich 
lias the following to say : "* * *As yon see, professional effi- 
ciency is ])ut foremost becanse those who cannot stand npon 
theii' cwn feet vocationally ai-e unable to help others and pre- 
vent them from falling. But in closest contact and intimately 
related with vocational education mnst go the second aim of our 
programme; to develop insight into the connection and relation 
of the interests of all citizens alike, ami especially of onr coun- 
try, to take care that that interest manifests itself in the exer- 
cise of patriotic self-sacrifice, justice, self-control, co-operative 
spirit and rational hygiene, sensible frugal habits of living. If 



EXTEXPION OF InDI'STKIAL AiXD AGRICULTURAL TrAIXIXG. 105 

we kee]) the tirst aim only uppermost in our educational eudea- 
vors, then there is danger of training up an excessive profes- 
sional and individual egotism." 

"And just here we touch the critical point in our considera- 
tion of the value of industrial schools and education. If we in- 
struct the prospective industrial mechanical worker not only in 
the mechanical-technical part of his trade but likewise introduce 
him into the mysteries of social and economic conditions, not 
only of industrial life but with equal interest into the social 
and economic life of the community and nation of which he Is 
a citizen ; if we train him from early youth to make him feel 
that he is a part, however small a part, of the larger whole of 
the nation to which he is inseparably tied by all his interests, 
then he Avill be more or less able to counteract and modify, if 
not to annul, the evil tendencies of modern industrial conditions. 

''"We should not forget that economic and social conditions 
are not only the product of natural laws but to no small degree 
they are the product of the moral and educational standards of 
the people * * * ," 

There is no doubt that industrial training in itself will be of 
great service in creating the sense of order, discipline and i^R- 
tienee so necessary to good citizenship. Commissioner Draper 
in an address in Albany in 1908 said: "I hesitate not a mo- 
ment in saying that good citizenship, and the thrift and morals 
of the country are quite as dependent upon the mass being 
trained to skilled work with their hands, as upon a class being 
advanced in scientific knowledge or in professional accomplish- 
ments. The greatness of the nation is contingent upon bring- 
ing the trutlis which science unlocks, to the life, and particularly 
to the viu-atious, of the people. But that can be done only where 
a people is inured to work; where they have, and love, voca- 
tions. 

The successful workman is a happier man and a more relia- 
l)le citizen, a nuich larger factor in giving strength and balance 
to his country, than the unsuccessful or the only half successful 
professional man. It adds little to one's value as a civic unit 
that he be elaborately trained in theory, or in science, or in 
skill, if his training has been at the cost of his balance; if he 
knows one thing at the expense of many other things which 
every good citizen is bound to know, and of that balance which 
every good citizen is bound to have. And it makes little addi- 



j(l(i I\K1'»IHT (IK TIIK C'(iMMl>>l()N I'toX Pl.ANS KoK T 1 1 K 

tioii to the strength of a nation that some of the people have 
the higliest Jearniiig, even that the advanced schools and the pro- 
fessional life are overcrowded, if the masses have not love and 
capacity for (jroniiig I kings and for niaki)i(j lhi)i</s." 

Now if we can supplement this splendid rundanicntjil 1i;iin- 
ing with some dctiniti' knowledge ot actu;! coiidilions nnd icai 
appreciation of government, there is no donht that the lesults 
will he those sought for. The teaching of civics has been ivcog- 
nized as difficult, and is ic.o often ])()orly done. I)u1 even 1he 
little civics which is taught in our higli schools is somctliing. 
Nothing practically has been done in the common schools. The 
boy leaves the connnon school with but rudimentary ideas of his 
duty towards this government. Indeed it woidd seem to your 
connnittee that the same methods which have been used so suc- 
cessfully in industrial education, could l)e used in the teaching 
of citizenship. There is at present a widespread movement 
which finds expression in boys' republics, in citizensliip ilas-es 
in schools, and in patriotic i)lays, all of which tends to dramatize 
or visufdize the teaching of ])atri()tism ami citizenship. All of 
this, it seems to us, could be in some degree adopted in all in- 
dusti'ial classes and we believe that no state aid should be gi\-en 
uidess some such teaching be a ])art of the currieuluiii of each 
school. 

In this coimection, the debating department of the univei-sity 
extension division ccmld be of great service. Its outlines for 
debates upon i)ublic questions could be used by these classes 
and the necessaiy traveling data or traveling libi'aries could be 
sent to tliem. There is no better way of learning than by debat- 
ing, and a sound and thorough knowledge of public questions 
can be acquired in all coninuation. evening and industi-ial 
Schools by this method. 

There is no doubt that courses in hygiene, sanitation, ])rotec- 
tive devices in machinery as well as the courses in citizenship, 
are indispensable in these schools. They are seldom or never 
omitted in the best continuation schools abroad. In practically 
every continuation class in ^hinich a boy has to take one hour a 
week of this training, for four years. The cumulative effect of 
this \\])(m citizenship is very great; as well as u])on the liealth 
and stamina of the race and cannot be luiderestimatcd. 

The combating of political co]-i-u]ition, as well as physical 
disease, is one of the great by-products of this work, the effect 



p]xTENsi()N OF Ixnrs'KiAL AND Agricultiral Trainixg. 107 

of whieh has not been fnlly understood in eonnection with other 
correhited niovi:neiits in Germany. Saiiitaiy conditions of fac- 
tories, sanitary conditions of homes, progress towards health 
and tlie fighting of dii-eaKc. the economies practiced by the cut- 
ting down of iiijuries and (if sickness caused by careh^ssness in 
facloricy. tlie cheaj e'liiig of iiidiisti'ial iiisui'aiKM^ — a'l come fiom 
this s( urce. Tft'se arc pnweifnl iniiuonce; which are l)asic and 
cannot be omitted. It is but a truism to say that intelligence 
is aided when disea.se is curbed and gcod, cleanly conditions ex- 
ist in the hon:e. 

Reformers in America are stiiving to get some knowledge of 
why corruption is rampant here. We are fighting political cor- 
ruption and physical disease at the same time. We may have 
reform periods or spasms ; we may create temporary organiza- 
tions f;.r the purpose of reforming government; we may delivei 
lectures, or our magazines may lead in pointing out the defects 
in government, but we will never get a true sense of obligation 
to the state until we teach that obligation. If we teach this in 
college or the high school we will iK^t hit the mark. TIow can 
we, when fx)ur-fifths of the boys and girls do not go to high 
school or college ? We never can completely fight disease, po- 
litical (1- pliysicnl. unless we teach these four-fifths in some way, 
how to fight. 

Our great success in the l)attle against tuberculosis comes 
largely from a determined effort to educate our people in a 
knowledge of that disease, its prevention and cure. We can 
never eradicate political corruption unless we use the same de- 
termination and begin at the time when a young man can be 
taught something about ctitzenship. Our lawyers tell us that 
very little can be done by legislation ; that we cannot make peo- 
ple good by law. The Germans look upon the law and the state 
as great moral forces, but it is doubtful if the lesson of morai 
obligation would be any more effective in Germany than it is 
in this countr3^ unless this same foundation in education existfi. 

Consider tuberculosis for a moment. We had in America a 
few years ago awful conditions in the slums of our cities. We 
had what were known as the "lung blocks." It was the custom 
to allow the poor people who had tuberculosis to die in these 
horrible unsanitary tenements without doing anything to eradi- 
cate the scourge. If a man was seized with tuberculosis, people 
said: "Well, what can we do? He will die. We can do noth- 



JdS Hki'okt of the Commission I'l'ox 1'lans fok thk 

iiiii. '" Scientists had for a long time known that if patients 
could l)e segrey:ated and fresh air and eU'anliness eould l)e pro- 
vi(h(l. tliat we would stand a good ehanee of winning the hattle 
against tul)ereulosis. That terril)le disease had its main seits 
in tile horribly over-erowded sections in our cities, inhabited 
mainly by immigrants oi- the sons and daughters of immigrants. 
AVhat was done about it in the end? AVith despi'i-ate odds 
against us, we began a great campaign of education. We put 
enoniious sums (;f money into the fight to teach pcoi)lc how to 
overcome this great plague. Now we are winning the battle and 
we are driving this disease out of oiir cities and our country — • 
by education. 

AVe have eliminated other diseases ;is the i-esult of this great 
movement and as a by-product of oiu- methods. }W teaching 
cleanliness, fresh air. sanitation, we have helped to drive away 
typhoid fever and pneumonia, and to raise the physical and 
mental standards of our peo])le. Our political disease goe.^ 
hand in band with our physical disease. It comes from the same 
source. It comes largely from the over-crowded, unsanitary 
districts in our cities. It comes largely from alien population 
pouring into the country at the rate of over a million a yeai'. 
Howevei' good the stock from which they came, the great ma- 
jority of our immigrants know veiw little about the history of 
our country; in fact, hardly know what American citizenship 
is. They come in contact with the worst types of citizenship we 
have among us: they see the deference to wealth acquired by 
corruption, and the general carelessness of our ideals concerning 
government. They naturally form their ideals under these con- 
ditions. Is it any wonder that when nothing is done to cure 
political corru]^tioii. it should bo as rife in these places ns tuber- 
culosis? 

When an immigrant comes to this shore, he has to wait five 
years before he is naturalized. In those five years Avhat educa- 
tion in citizenshi]i does he obtain? He sees the ]ioor in the 
slums ai'ouiid him. he realizes the desperate fight for existence, 
he often finds that his only help in that strife is the political 
boss or the corrupt politician. He cannot help getting a per- 
verted idea of citizenship. How can Ave fight this political 
tuberculosis and have any success? Does it seem possible that 
any industrial prosperity which comes fi-om industrial educa- 
tion will be of anv real use to us in tlio future, if conditions 



Extension of Indcs'-kial and Agriculttral Training. 109 

similar to theso exist? if we strive to build up prosperity- 
through industrial educatiou without building up the health of 
the average man or average woman, and without building up 
true citizenship, we will not have really democratic educMtion. 
Any industrial educatiou without these other factors will be ;i. 
dismal failure. AVe may pass all the lesolutions we vamt to, 
but the only way to cure political corruption in our cities is ta 
cuie it the way we aie stamping out tuberculosis- — hy education. 

The following talceu from a bulletin of the ]\Isssajlr.i.-:etts in- 
dustrial education commission report is an outline of some of 
the required work in the ( ontinuation schools of IMunicli : 

"(c) Sti'dies (}F Life and Citizenship. — This instruction 
will supply to the pupil the recognition of the necessity of a 
reasonable conduct of life. He taluM np (Mi the one hand the 
problems of i^yyicre, and on tlic otl:er b.;;nd the (jucstion-; of liv- 
ing which result from his duties to his vocaticu, tlie CGnnuunity 
and the state, in order that he may obtain a clear insight into 
the necessarily close connection of the interests of all classes of 
people and trade groups. 

"Class I. — Hygiene: The structure of the human body, 
l^reathing, nourishment and circulation of the blood — means of 
sub; istence and enjoyment according to their value and worth- 
lessness; the care of the skin and teeth; dwelling and clothing; 
Avork and recreation ; the harmful influences of the trade ; main- 
tenance of cleanliness. Deportment. Conduct at home; in 
school; cm the street; in society; tov^-ard teachers and helpers. 

"Class HI. — Citizenship: The communal condition. The 
problems of communal groups ; their social and economic ar- 
rangements. Rights and duties of communal citizens ; com- 
nninal titular officials. The constitution of Bavaria. Problem:* 
of state federation. Duties and rights of citizens of the state. 
State titular officials. The Bavarian state government. The 
system of goverinnent of the German Empire. The problems of 
the Emi)ire. Social legislation. Trade and commerce in the 
nineteenth century, and their significance for the well-being of 
the citizens and of the industrialist." 

The courses in safety devices will be of special interest to 
manufacturers at this time. There is no doubt that workmen'-? 
compens'ition acts and various insurance schemes of a similar 
nature will be very soon passed in America by all the states. 



110 HKi'oirr oi' 'I'liK Commission I'i-on I'i.a.xs kok tiik 

Courses of this kind will he n hlcssiiiii lo the woi'kuuiii and will 
be a source of economy to the manufacturer. 

To-day there is a ^reat movement J'<>i- tlic medical inspection 
of children. This n)edical inspection in the cities where it has 
been tried, has proved that many children can be brightened 
and dullness prevented. It has shojvn that a gi-eat deal of the 
waste and human wreckage comes from poor i)hy.sical condition. 
The examination has shown a large percentage of obstruction to 
breathing, of throat and eye troubles, and of curvature of the 
spine aiul similar diseases. But this medical inspection exists 
only in a very few cities and in a very superficial way. It seems 
lo your connnitlce that tl:e workers in the factiu-ies should have 
the I t'uetits of nu^dical inspection extended to them and a chance 
to buikl up impaired health or to cure deformities. Incipient 
cases of tuberculosis could l:e noted at once if these courses in 
hygiene incliuled medical inspection in all the conlinuatiorr 
schools. trad(^ schools or evening schools. If in colleges and high 
schools we have gynuuisiums. physical examinations, etc., it ap- 
peals to our reason that we should have the same thing in all 
thes:e schools for our industrial army. It is (mly reasonable 
that the continuation school should be a great factor in build- 
ing up the strength of the jjcople if this kind of instruction and 
examination were instituted there. If it is an investment for 
the state or city to put large sums of money into colleges and 
high scliools for gymnasiums and heahh instruction, tlieii surely 
it is an investment of a greatei' dc^gree lo do the same thing f(U' 
the great mass of the people. 

In Germany some periods each week are given to gymnastu? 
work. It must not le forgotten that the si)leiulid "Turner" 
movement is now being connected with these schools. Nearly 
all the contiiniation schools have some kind of gynniastic work, 
and many of them have i)hysical examination. 

Vocational direction. — The (Jermans try to lit a boy to the 
voction wliicii he undertakes. Pamphli'ts are sent out describ- 
ing the standards of strength neic-sarx foi- certain ditferent 
trades and warning parents ami children what diseases are in- 
herent in certain of them. For insiance. if a child has a history 
which may show a tendency toward tulcrculosis. then that child 
is directed away from occupations in which the statistics show 
thai a liiiih rate of tubercidosis exists. If a child is plivMcally 



Extension ok Ixdisirial and Agrici'ltiral Trmxing. Ill 

not strong, he is not advised to go into a trade where physical 
strength is demanded. 

This question of vocational direction is involved with the ques- 
tion of Scinitation and hygiene. Vocational direction is used in 
the state einphjyincnt agencies and lalior exchanges in Germany, 
and it has now been tried in the schools of New York and an 
official has been secuied whose duty it is to see that the work is 
prop(n-ly (ariied out. In Host( n, too, a vocational liureau exists 
and in many of the Y. ]\r. ( '. A. and social settlements, vocational 
direction bureaus have been recently established. It seems to 
your committee that as an integial part of this whole system, 
vocational direction should be used in continuation schools, 
evening schools and trade schools. Your committee does not 
care to confuse the issue l\y recommending too manj^ newly tried 
educational experiments, but it would suggest that this may be 
a matter which can be left to the discretion of the industrial 
-education connnission^ whicli your connnittee has recommended. 
Certainly medical inspectii n and vocational direction would be 
valuable assets and valuable investments to any system of indus- 
trial education. 

Social factors. — Your committee has already called attention 
to the fact that in England and in many of the private evening 
schools of Amei'ica, attempts have been made to counteract the 
social dissij>ation of our times by l)ringing together young people 
in healthy .social diversion in the evening. The university ex- 
tension lias i('ccnt]y secuied a director who is to l)uild up the 
Mork oc making the .schools social centers. It would seem to ns 
that this is not a fad ; that the proper development of social 
functions woiiUl 1-e a great stimulus to ediu-ation. Boys and 
girls cannot work all the time and must have certain social di- 
versions. Tliese social diversions can be the incentives, as has 
been pointed out, for other and mtn^e serious things. As ]Mr. 
Jones of the New York department of edueatitm says of this 
work in England: "Each school is for the most part a little 
center of life and civilization, not merely a collection of classes. 
One advantage of this work is that it develops the feeling of co- 
herence of the spirit of democracy. Social gatherings are al- 
lowed in the evening school rooms once a month or on evenings 
when the school is not in session. No fee is charged for this. 
The scjiools are in a measure the social clubs of the common 



Ill' Ki:i'(lK'P OK TIIK Co.M MISSION Ul'OX Pl.ANS FoK Till-: 

people aiitl are of very ^reat: influence and iinportanee. ' " It 
would seem lo youi' eonnnittee that this socialization of evening 
schools throuirh the extension division is an important element 
in this work, a great incentive to education and a very real need 
in the lif<* of our people today. 



MISCELLANEOUS Sl'dCiKSTlONs 

Blind alleys. — It is very easy to lix ihe coiine'-tion l)e'wcja 
the elementary industrial classes a. id the higher classes or the 
uiiivei'sity. It will ie veiy easy, lor instance, to siive a hoy a 
chance to continue toward higher eduiat'on, hy maldng provi- 
sion for a connecting link--a course from which students of the 
county agricultural schools and industrial s(h(»ols can <'iitei' the 
university. This could be so arranged that the boy could enter 
classes in the university along the lines in-which he had already 
specialized and at the same lime be prepared by nu-ans of sub- 
collegiate courses, in subjects in Avhich he is deticient. In this 
manner he can go on to the highest grade work. Such a cours" 
would cost very little, and would form the one < iuin(^ tinu' link 
])etween trade schools, county agricidtural scin)ols and the 
higlier education which so many opponents ot industrial s houls 
point out as necessary in America. The same principle could 
be applied to any of our nor!iial sch:iols. 

As has been suggested previously, in the contiiuiaticn schools 
until a boy is 16 years of age he should be given, with the ap- 
proval of the authorities and his parents, a reasonable < Im ce 
of subjects not related to the temporary occupation in which 
he happens to 1 e engaged. This certainly will answer the argu- 
ment that a boy once in a trade will have to stay in it if he goes 
to the industrial school. If carefully supervised, the boy who 
is already working, can go on through tlie cont -nuat ion schools 
and work his way up the ranks in the same way as his mt)re 
fortunate bi-otlier. There are blind alleys in "ducat ion at the 
])resent time. They can be ab/olished by industrial education, 
connnercial educatioii and continuation schools, and instead 
of forming (dass distinction, thest' schools will help to l)re:ik 
up an\' tendencies towards social gradaticns just as they are now 
helping to break up class distinction in the old coimtries. 



EXTEXSIOX OF IXDrs'KlAL AND AgRICLLTLRAL TRAINING. 113 

Cost. — ^There may be those who Mill hesitate at the cost of 
this system. It is not a question of cost at all — it is an invest- 
ment. Says James E. Kussell at a meeting of the Columbia 
college convocation: "We accept the politician's dictum that 
we are too poor to spend more than we do on education, when 
the fact is that we are too poor to spend so little. More, much 
more, than we now spend on education Avould be money in our 
pockets if only we knew how to spend it right." In business 
we do not ask, "How much will it cost.^" witliout thinking 
"How much can we make out of it ? Is it a good investment?" 
AVe do not have to defend the appropriation of any reasonable 
amount of money for this work, as it is an investment and will 
bring Imck prosperity and happiness to the state. 

Should be always fcr the many. — Finally there are some 
warnings which your committee wishes to give. There will be 
of course an inevitable tendency to make educational institu- 
tions aristocratic, to work for the few rather than the m.vny. 
We must see to it that trade schools remain trade schools in fact. 
Time and time again institutions have been started in America 
Avith the ideal of reaching trades or industrial education, and 
after a while one advanced study after another has been intro- 
duced until these schools become technical institutions. The 
original purpose of what are now our engineering colleges in 
our state universities was to reach trades or mechanical arts 
rather than merely engineering. There seems to be something 
in the psychology of the teacher which makes him prefer to 
teach a few high grade scholars rather than the general mass 
of the people. 

With this warning before us, every effort should be made to 
keep industrial education from going this course. The institu- 
tion of general and local committees of employers and em- 
ployees as proposed by your committee has been an effective 
device in Germany and should be as useful, here. 



114 Hki-oht ok Till-: C'ommismox I'l-ox 1'i.ans fok the 



l^ART III. 

Agricultural Education. 

In presenting brietly the situation as it relates to agriculture, 
it has been decided to limit the discussion to the conditions as 
they exist in tlie state since an attempt to treat of agricultural 
etlucation broadly Avould involve a treatise. The two phases of 
the subject considered are — the value of agricultural training 
and the condition of agricultural teaching in the state and sug- 
gestions for its I'lulhcr improvement. 

TIIK VAIJ'E OF AGRICri/n'KAL TRAIXIXG 

Agricultural teaching has a du<d ])urposc, and no discussion 
of the broader phases of agricultural education can treat this 
subject fairly unless these purposes are so clear'y set forth 
that there is little chance to lose sight ( f tluMu or to confuse tlie 
issue by limiting the discusHon to a meic "utilitarian"" ])()int of 
view. 

Tin advocates of agricultural instruction claim foi' it a liifjh 
< <huyitio-)iaJ vahic a.s well as a ver]i great economic one. It is 
these tw(< values that we nuist kec]) cleai'ly in mind in lliis dis- 
cussion. Agrieidtural teaching may, if pi'opei-ly taught, do as 
nuich for the child in oiving him a body of useful information, 
(ill (J( nlopiiif/ his iiunlal poicers), and in broadening his out- 
look and giving him greater opportunity for the proper enjoy- 
ment of leisure houi's. as any other subject of study. 

Hut agricultni-ai training is of very gi'cat economic impor- 
tance. The simple statemenl of ;i few facts will make apjiarent 
the validity of this claim. The possible AVisconsin corn crop 
i-; nuiterially reduced through ignorance of proper methods to 
1 e UM'd in the selectii n. care and testinir of seed corn. In manv 



Extension of Indis'-rial and Agricultural Training. 115 

portions of the staio the piodueing- power of the hind is ini- 
jjairid fu ly 25% through the inroads of Canada thisth-s. quaelc 
grass and other noxious weeds. The dairy industry now auKunts 
to $80,000,000 annually, yet the average annual yield per eow 
is abiiii 1:')() pouiids of buttfr fai, or not mere than one-half of 
what it might be if well known faets were used as a basis for 
piaetice. Tiie annual loss from inseets to Wise(.nsin farmers 
is not less than $'5.000.0(X), yet mueh cf this may be saved 
tlinuigh the use (;f proper methods. l>ut this is not all. To 
th( se who engage in farming", agrieultural training so awakens 
the intellect to the various processes of nature invi; ved in the 
oeeupation. tliat the industry itself may aff( I'd the l<eene.st 
pleasure. 

It will l)e admitted, witlu-ut argument, that tiie farmer should 
l^e t'.ained for his work, but is his edueati; n to be limited to tli;- 
needs of his ealling? No one will deny that every man, no 
niatttr what his vocation, shou'd be informed <n mrny matters 
outside his own ealling, and that his training should put him 
in po. session of information that he seldom if ever needs to use. 
Such an education is the right of every Wisconsin boy and 
girl, whether the h t be cast in city or country, and such an edu- 
cation tlu^ schools of Wisconsin should fiu'nish. 

The ability of the schools to impart this kind (if an education 
'.s limited in several ways, but their (.pportunitie.s, at the pres- 
ent time, are we 1 nigh unlimited. At the present time it ap- 
y»ears that the chief prcblem of universal education in this state 
is that of providing adecpiate vocaticmal training and at the 
<-<imc time maintaining the i)r(;per Ixdance between these sub- 
ject;; ai :d general (ducation. 

In all schools tlie local needs are worth considering but they 
should not l:e tl:e only factors. The general needs, the need of 
the countiy at large, the need of the times, should receive full 
considerati(.n. Approximately 8% of our population are luisi- 
ness and professional men. They are comparatively well pro- 
vided Cor. The otiier 02%. belong to the industrial classes. 
One-half of these are farmers, the other half artisans. Our 
regular day schools should contain courses of study for training 
fannei-s along broad general lines. Nearly all of our girls be- 
come home makers and this training should also be i)rovided for 
by courses in domestic economy. These courses should not be 
restiicted to vocational courses designed to teach simply l)read- 



IK) KkI'OKT ok TlIK ("o.MMISMdX I'l'ON 1*1, ANS FOR Till': 

iiuikiiij^- or titeor-i'i'C'dijig, but slidiild ^ixc a hrojidci- (Hillnok ;m;<1 
a raiifje of vision much beyond lluiii. 

The Slate of Wisconsin has already provided trade schools for 
farmers in the form of county schools of agricidtur-(\ and these 
atl'ord an opportunity for Ibose whose attention lias been di- 
rected to count i-y life to get much valuable training that hears 
directly upon the vocation of farming; but the state has not 
done ^vhat it sliould to direct attention to the vocation in which 
one-half her jxipubition are directly engaged and upon which 
all her j^eople are dependent for su])sistence. 

To those who have carefully studied and aie familiar with 
the existing social and economic cii'cumstances of country lile, 
at least tiro jn-essing needs must he met before the children of 
i-ural comiruniities will bave any fair opportunity to receive 
that kind and amount of education to wbicb all cliildren in the 
state of Wisconsin are entitled; and before the conditions and 
the standards of life of that great proportion of our population, 
directly and immediately dependent upon a jn-oper conserving 
and developing of agricultural resources and interests, may be 
permanently improved. These larger and more fundamental 
needs are brought i'orwaid here because any radical betterment 
of as large and as important a group of industries as exist in 
the state are dependent upon them. Agriculture is primarily 
dependent upon the raising of the level of the effectiveness of 
all tbose grades of instruction tliat constitute the connnon school. 
Indeed, measures will need to be devised to aifect directly the 
industiial efficiency of the great army of young men and women 
who must look to tbe rui-al school for their education i)re]iai-a- 
torv to life. 



15ETTKR TT^.MXED TE.\( "ITERS 

First of all, the ])ublic school serving the peoi)le of any agri- 
cultuial legion must 1 e in cbarge of teachers both competent 
and fjidpcrly li'aincd for tbeir woi-k : that is. compettmt and 
ti'aincd. not oidy foi- tbe effeclive conduct of oi'dinary school 
instruction, but also for the increase of the industrial efficiency 
of all the pupils whether boys or girls. That this is now the 
ease, except in rare and conspicuous instances, will not be 
claimed by any one having a reliable knowledge of the counlry 



Extension of Industkial and AGRicn/riRAL Training. 11/ 

school as it exists generally Ihroiighout the stato. Tl.e disiu- 
el'iiation of rural euninninities to make any effort to provide 
either suffieicnt fiiiaiR-ial or moral support of the school as it is 
in its i)resent form, and the relatively small proportion of the 
])oys and girls of these communities, from twelve to sixteen 
years of age, in these schools, are striking testimony of some 
great lack. That lack, in a word, is the ahsence of instruction 
tliat is vitally concerned with the economic welfare of tlie agri- 
cultural class as a grouj) or as individuals. Such instruction 
cannot be given without competent instructors. 

In 1901. the legislature added Agriculture to the list of sub- 
■jects in which candidates for teachers' ' certificates should, be ex- 
amined; and in IDO."), it was enacted that agriculture should be 
taught in every district school. That neither of these measures 
has as yet resulted in any great benefit to agricultural education 
ds gtiieially recognized. Nevertheless, they have indirectly ac- 
complished a valuai)le end by emphatically calling public atten- 
tion to the need of vigorouly attacking the problem. Agricul- 
tural instruction will never be satisfactory in the common or 
liigh schools of Wisconsin until the state sets about, in a deter- 
mined and conscious manner, fitly to prepare teachers for this 
task. Tender existing conditions, many teachers are immature 
and inexperienced, and the requirements for legal certification 
are far too low. The enactment of the legislature of 1909 
(Chapter 378) requiring every applicant for a certificate to 
liave attended a professional school for teachers for at least six 
"weeks, is one which, if followed by enactments establishing ad- 
ditional requirements, will gradually lead to improvement. 
But the process may not be delayed without great loss. 

At the present time, out of 785,000 persons of school age 
(4 to 20), there are approximately 475.000 pupils enrolled in 
the ]>ublic schools of the state. Of this number, at least 
250. OOU are being educated tlirough the schools, which should 
educate chiefly for the agricultural industries. In all proba- 
bility, at least 50,000 more pupils should be in these schools. 
Of the total number of public school teachers in the state 
(15,000), not less than 9.000 should be able to teach effectively. 
from the agricultural point of view. Not that the field of 
activity of the rural schools should be restricted in any way; 
but the necessities of the great majority of the pupils should 
be the basis for the organization of the work of the common 



lis l\Ki'()irr OK 'niK Commission I'ion I'i-ans for tiik 

SL'liuuls (if llu' country. This is not the case; iicitlicr \vill rt b(% 
until the people of llu' state and tiieir ri'pi"eseii1 at i\cs liec;)in<' 
alive to the great injustice done to the hoys and uirls, \\ho. hy 
circumstances, must obtain jjractically all of their educaton in 
Tliese schools. The gi'eat (piestion of Nocational education is- 
fully as iniportaid to the coutdi-y as to the city; as important 
to tile fann as to the fadoi-y. Ktfective agriculluial edui-ation 
is ill tl>e end a matter of tinding efifective agricultural teachers. 

For the betterment of tlu^ teacliiug of agricultural science 
and ])ractice in the common schools, the resources available in 
all the state institutions for the training of teachers "will need 
to be utilized to tlie largest extent. The county training schools 
for teachers have proven their worth. It is extremely desirable 
that the standards of the existing schools of this kind lie gradu- 
ally raised so that their graduates shall have a longer and 
sounder training than is possible under the present oi'uaniza- 
tion. The question of Avays in which the several normal schools 
of the state may be enabled to contribute to the solution of tlie 
problem of agricultural training in rural schools is one Avorthy 
of careful consideraTion. When the issue becomes moi'c dearly 
defined, undoulitedly new avenues of usefulness will lie discov- 
ered for the normal sidioel. especially in the direction of edu- 
cating and training teachers for vocational '\v(M'k in the state 
graded schools. 

It would seem that the largest responsibility rests with the 
University, especially wntli the College of Agriculture, for pro- 
viding ways and means for the training of special teachers, and 
supervisors of agriculture, and principals and sujierintendenTs 
of sch(^ols serving an agricultural population. No otl'.er insti- 
tution in the state has, or can have, equal facilities and men for 
effective instruction. A certain proportion ($5,000) of the Fed- 
eral approjjriatiou to the agricultural college ma.v. under the 
Nelson amendment of 1906. be devoted to the training of teach- 
ers. The establisliment of the Department of Agricultural 
educaticu in the College of Agriculture, in 1908, marked the 
beginning of a new and positive policy. Through this Depart- 
ment and the allied dei)artments of tlie T'niversity should come 
those men who are to be tlie leaders and the pioueei-s in the 
establishment of successful vocational education for tliat part 
of the people of the state engaged in agricultural ]iursuits. 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 119 



State Aid for Agricultural Training 

A lunv jxilicy is iioAV needed whereby special subventions of 
the state may be utilized for the development of those pliases 
of education which represent the more pressing needs of the 
day. This neAV polic}^ should be directed to the encouragement 
of both agritultural and industrial training:'. 

One conclusion is perfectly clear, namely, that carefully 
planned agricultural education, adequately subsidized by the 
statc^ looking toward the readjustment of existing educational 
institutions should be made. 

If any state-wide plan for industrial education is projected. — - 
and certainly no plan can be state-wide that does not include 
adequate provision for the elementary education of agricultural 
workers, — the two factors considered will need to become ob- 
jects of legislative attention; (a) Provision for better facilities 
for the training of teachers of agriculture and of supervisors of 
agricultural schools; (b) The enlargement of the policy of ex- 
tending special state aid to schools in the agricultural sections 
so that state aid shall be granted for industrial training in agri- 
culture. 

In ad.^ition to these, provision must be made for increased 
compensi. I n of teachers, as explained in Part I. and the vari- 
ous specific flcps taken which are considered in the remainder 
of the report. 



TIIP] PRESENT CONDITION OF AGRICULTURAL 

TEACHING AND SUGGESTIONS FOR 

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 

This section has to deal with the part that the various classes 
of schools from the district school to the university should play 
in the development of rural education. I'nder each heading is 
to I)e f(nuid a ])rief analysis of the facts that obtain in each class 
of schools, with suggestions as to the possibilities of future de- 
velojmient. and specific reconnnendations for constructive legis- 
lation. 

Tlir Coioifi/ Traiuiiic) ScJiools. 

The county training schools were established for the special 
purpose of training teachers for the rural schools. Twenty-four 



120 l^Ki'OKT OF Till-: Com .MISSION I'roN Plans for tiik 

ttl' these .si'hooLs c-nruUing 1.500 stiulcnls and eustiiig the state 
nearly $100,000 annually are now in operation. While these 
schools are doing their work \\<'ll along the standard lines, like 
all the rest of our schools, they have not yet given suffieient at- 
tention to the subject of agriculture. If agriculture is to be 
taught ill our rural schools, and the law says it must be so 
taught ; and if the county training schools are to train teachers 
for the rural schools, then it is clear that upon the training 
schools rests the chief responsibility for the success or failure 
of agricultural instruction in the I'ural schools. Some of the 
principals of the training schools fully recognize this responsi- 
bility and are extending th(> length of time given for instruction 
in agiicultui'e from tlie oi'iginal meager ten weeks to twenty, 
and even foi'ty weeks. This is a step in the right direction, but 
cannot yield satisfactory results alone. According to the course 
of study in use in most of these schools fifty hours is given to 
the study of agriculture or one-thirty-sec(uid part of the entire 
time. To your commission that amount oi- i)repa.ration appears 
wholly inade(|uate, especially in view of the fact that many of 
these i)rospective teachers are city and village girls compara- 
tively ignorant of farm conditions and rural life. 

Your commission recommends the introduction at once of at 
least one unit of agriculture into the courses of study of thes^e 
schools. ITtimately two units of agriculture should be intro- 
duced. 

In case favorable action is taken on the matter of special 
agricultural instructors mentioned in another section of this 
report (see p. . .), these may be placed with the county training 
schools by co-operative arrangement with the College of Agri- 
culture. These specialists may give the instruction in agricul- 
ture to teachers' training classes and organize short course 
classes for winter students, for which service, the county should 
share such proportion of the expense as may be determined by 
mutual agreement. This plan of utilizing a portion of the time 
(;f the proposed agricultural specialists receives the unqunlified 
endorsement of your commission : but if this is done it will be 
only the first step toward adequate instruction in agriculture 
in the county training schools. As soon as they can be ob- 
tained, at least one teacher in each of these schools, should be 
specially prepared to teach the agricultural subjects. 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 121 

The Rural iSckools. 

There are about !*.0()() rur<.l schot)ls in the state which should 
serve approximately 300,000 hoys and yiris, since there are not 
less than this number between the ages of 4 and 20 in their 
tributary area. A few rural teachers have grasped the true 
spirit of the situation and. under favorable conditions, are do- 
ing creditable work in agriculture, as provided by the law; but 
the three chief defects of the rural schools, are, the small school. 
a lack of efficient i)reparation of teachers, and a lack of organ- 
ization of suital)le material for instructional purjioses. The last 
of these defects the College of Agriculture has made an effort 
to correct. During the past two years it has prepared and sent 
to one-fourth of the rural schools several economic nature study 
circulars on special phases of agriculture, deemed of vital im- 
portance to the farmers of this state, and along the same lines 
in which the station is directing its teaching and its extension 
work. 

Given a body of teachers with the right persi)ective, in full 
sympnthy with agricultural education, and with a goodly num- 
ber of pupils, the rural schools ma.y readily become potent fac- 
tors toward the general practice of scientific agriculture. At 
the svime time they may draw much of their material for their 
instruct! rI purposes from the world about them, create a love 
for farm lie, and add dignity to its labor that wall tend to 
check the tide of emigration now flowing toward the cities. At 
present the great nmjority of the teachers are women, brought 
up in the city, unac(|uainted with farm life, and much of their 
agricultural teaching has little weight. 

The rural schools need a competent body of young men, 
brought up on the farm, trained in agricultural schools, and 
experienced as teachers. "With state aid sufficient to encourage 
the payment of adequate salaries for efficient workers, these 
schools would reach 300,000 young people annually, and come 
in close personal contact with not less than 50.000 farmers, or 
one-fourth the entire number in the state. 

Fully one-half of the pupils in these schools are girls and 
their needs should be supplied by providing instruction in 
domestic science as eft'ective as that asked for agriculture. 

Tin Coiisol id (/{((] ('oiDih'ji Sclinols. 

"When two or more disti'ict schools are united in a single unit 
for school purposes, the resulting unit is known as a consoli- 



]'2'2 Kki'okt ok TiiK Commission ('ion 1*l.\.\s kok tiik 

dated scIkkiI. To siicli a school llic distaiil |)ii|»ils arc usually 
ti'aiisi)orted at i)ul)]ic' expense. 

The larger comitry sehool house re[)resents the chief need for 
the reform of rural education. The isolated, one room country 
sehool is hoiuid, under the necessities of modern rural life, to 
pass away: hut its passinij will be a slow process. The move- 
ment for the consolidation of school districts, and the transi)()r- 
tation of pupils to the lai'iie school is on. the countiy ov(M*. The 
advantages of a consolidated school have been demonstrated in 
too many states and under too many conditions to be ojx'n to 
debate. Fi'oiii tlie standpoint of administration, finance, gen- 
eral education, and agricultur-al ti-aining, this enlarged scho;)l 
sliows the way out of many of the piescnt difficulties. It makes 
po.ssible the construction of artistic modern l)uildings. ])roperly 
heated, ventilated, lighted, ecpiipped. adecpuitely provided with 
sanitary ari-angements, clean drinking watei". etc. ; in fact, just 
the necessities of the modern school which the one-room district 
school does not have, and never ha.s had. ]\Iore important than 
these obvious advantages, the cojisolidated school provides for 
overcoming the inherent difficulty of the rural school, namely, 
the attempt to instruct by one teacher, (i to 16-year-old pupils. 
Three generations ago, the city leariu'd that it could edu- 
cate its children more successfully and more economiaclly by 
placing those of the same ability and near the same age to- 
gether, with teachers who understood aiul could teach them as a 
group. The country has expected of its teachers, generally far 
less capable than the teachers in th(^ city, the impossible task of 
satisfactorily teaching children of wide range of age and ability. 

It may be stated, that, until the state of AVisconsin sets itself 
deliberately to the task of organizing counti'y education on the 
basis of an adndnistrative unit, largei- than the school district, 
as it now exists. com])aratively little will be accomplislu>d in 
the way of establishing vocational training that will contribute 
largely to the jiroblems of oui' agricultural i)oj)ulation ami of 
agricultural production. Notwithstanding numerous enactments 
of the legislature during the past ten years, looking toward the 
consolidation of schools, little or nothing has yet been accom- 
plished in this state in this direction. AVitliout doul)t. climatic 
conditions and geographic situations ha\c hiiulered the i-apid 
progress of this mo\ement. X(>vei"theless. then' are numci'ous 



Extension of Industrial and Agricultural Training. 123 

localities where no physical obstacles bar cons-^lid 'ticii, aiul 
where the district schools are too small to be effective. 

Gio. W. Kiiori', Si^ecial Field Agent of the Bureau cf Sta- 
tistics. Washing'icn, J) .C., makes out a strong ea^-e for the con- 
solidated school in Bulletin Xo. 232, Office of Exi e'iiiient Sta.- 
tit.'us. Statistical data eo lected by him show (a) that the per 
capita c(,st (;f instruction is lessened though the total cist is usu- 
ally inci eased, (b) that the average daily attendance is iii- 
creasetl, (c) that the i)upils remain in school longei. (mi ire 
years and more days in each year), (d) that the recitation time 
is increased and the study period diminished, (e) that better 
wages are paid aiul hence better teachers emplcyed, (f) that 
these schcols are better supeivised, both by the principal and 
ly tile county superintendent, and (g) that better material 
.eqnijJiiKnit is ])r( videtl (buildings, libraries, hc^'iting and sanita- 
tion ) . 

^,h. Knoir has further shown that consolidation has been 
more (asily elfected when the ccunty or township is the unit of 
scli(;t;l administration as in Ohio and Indiana, and that great 
tJifficulty has been experienced in effecting consolidation where 
the disti'ict system prevails. The reason is obvious, — it is far 
easier to obtain a majority in favor of c(,ns( lidation in a single 
unit tiian it is to obtain a majority on the same side of the (|ues- 
tion in se\''M"al units. 

He further calls attention to the fact that the inevitable ten- 
■dency, where the district unit prevails, is to get the consolidated 
unit too small, a decided menace to the whole cause of consolida- 
tii n. Again, topographical conditions may seriously interfere. 
There ai'c several other factors not mentioned in the report 
quoted above that bear upon the Wisconsin situation and which 
should be mentioned here. One of these is found in the mixed 
nationality of our citi/eusliip, and the tendency of these na- 
tionalities to remain distinct in their own settlements. As yet 
the foreign sjiirit is so stnmg that these colonies do not readily 
"fuse'' as is lUM-essary in consolidation. 

All these facts are worthy of the careful consideration of 
the legislature. Nevertheless there are in Wisconsin a large 
num])er of rural schcols with less than ten pupils each. In 
tliese schools no inspiring work in agriculture or any other sub- 
ject can be done, as the classes are too small. The per capita 
cost of instruction sometimes readies $200 per year. The aver- 



124 Ki'.i'dirr ok tiik ("ommisskin I'i-on Tlans fok tiik 

iiiic cost ol' iiis1ni<-t ioii foi- llicsc siiiall (less than ten piij)!!) 
M-hools I ill the state ol' Miiui('s;)ta ) is $r)6.4i) per pupil, an 
amount entirely too liigli when eompared witli $11.11 for the 
wliole stale of Wisconsin. Thei-e ouii'ht to 1)e some way devised 
foi- (liscotiliiiuiiiii' Itiese small schools and suhst it u1 iiii!,' moi'e ef- 
ficient seliools. 

It fo h;\vs fidin the ahovc Ihat I he (ir-t ste]) necessary I'of the 
si)lnti(.n of tlie difficulties inliei'cnl in the disti'icl sell' ol system 
is to create a centi'al Ixiaid of education for each couiit\' witli- 
power to enfoi'ce the necosary c( nsolidati(.ns. and in othei- ways 
exercise such a degree of administi'ative contiol ovci- the pub- 
lic schools of the county (outside cf cities) as will ensure ade- 
([uate educational pi-ivileges for a I the children of the county, 
I'ills to accomplish this refoini hav(> been preented to the leo-is- 
lature of the stale (U seycial I'eceiit (cca^ions witlioul fa\'erable 
consideration. Ycnir C( mmis^ion is of the judgnieiil. however, 
tliat the genetal conditi(ni of |)ul)lii- e(lucati(;n (if the airricul- 
tural ])oi"tion of our pcjile fully wai-rants a marked change of 
policy, wh'ch cannot be effected undei- the existing m-IiooI dis- 
liict oi' township system. 

Your connnissicn thei'cfore recommemls that a central board 
of education, composed of five members elected at large, be' 
created for each county: this board to have power in pai'ticular, 
fl) to emjdoy a county superintendent of schools: (2) to con- 
solidate school districts and discontinue schools when such will 
contribute to the lietterment of education of the children: that 
such consolidated schools receive state aid equal to that granted 
to state graded schools, viz. : $200 for a two-department school 
and $8(}() for a three-department school and that addtional state 
aid to an erpial amount be granted to those schools whieli in- 
troduce not less than two units of agi'iculture, oi- agriculture 
and domestic economy, provided that the courses of stu<ly and 
the teachers be approved l)y the State Superintend(Mit. 

Tlir Slate Graded Schools. 

There are in this state at pi'csent 4!l7 public rural schools- 
designated as state graded schools. The schools enroll annually 
(!ver 45.()()() j)upils, and receive from the state ^IIS.-IOO special 
linancial aid. They generally are located in small \'illages and 
abnut loo of them are doing two years of high school work'. 
J'i(,bal)lv another hundicd are schools of nine gi'ades each. It 



Extension of lNi)rs';RiAi, and Agricultural Training. 12.") 

would seem i'rcin tluMi.' location Miid tlie class of people whom 
tliey s("i'\-e that tliey are partieularlv adapted to giving instruc- 
tion in agriculture. Wherever the principal of these schooh 
has made S})ecial preparation oi- is possessed of large energy 
e(.upl('d witli native ability, the work done in these schools is 
highly c(;mmendal)le. But as yet they have not Ijcgun to real- 
ize their possibilities. ]n most of these schools the work in agri- 
culture is confned to one-half year of formal text book study. 
These schools might well administer a course offering two years 
of agricutlural work, much of which coidd lie of an intensely 
practical nature. At the present time the law [irovides that a 
state graded school of two departments, having two teachers. 
if it c(mi)lies with the provision of the state graded school law. 
may ol)tain $200 special state aid each year and that a school of 
three depaitments may obtain special state aid to the amount of 
^300 })er year. 

Yiiur c(!mmissi( n lecommcnds that additional stat(^ aid. e(|ual 
to tliat now receiveck be granted to such gi-aded schools as intro- 
duce not Ic-s than two units of agriculture, or agricultuie and 
domestic economy, ])r()\ided that the couise of study and th.e 
teacheis be appiovcd by the State Sui)erintendent. 

The Toicnsliip High Schools. 

For the ttjwnshij) hioh school tiie township is ordinarily th.e 
unit of organization, but contiguous territories in two or more 
townships may unite to form a township high school. Theo- 
retically thin-e is no instruction in elementary school subjects 
connected tb.ei'ewith. The bii'iniial leport of the State Superin- 
tendent for 1!)0()-1!)08 has this to say of township high 
.'chools : — "'''The total enrollment for 1907 was 1164, or an 
average of 4:! to each school. It should be lemembei'ed that ;ili 
except a very few of these schools are located in small villages 
and t!ie enrollmi'ut is made up mainly from the country dis- 
tiicts. and fully equal in natural ability to town jnipils." And 
again nnniy of the schools are not e(|uipped and jn^ovided for 
as Well as might t e desired, but. nevertheless, much excellent 
work is 1 eing done in tlu-m and this should be recognized in 
e\'(My possible way. " 



* See page 24, Thirteenth Biennial Report Department of Public 
Instruction, State of Wisconsin. 



llMi Kki'okt di' TiiK Commission I'l'ox Plans for tiii-: 

"■'riiciv ^iicalcst liaiidi('a|) arises from loo frcimciit cliangcs 
i?i IIk^ tcjicliinti' force. First cljiss tcnclicrs cmii not he I'ctciiiKvl 
at the low s;il;iri('s wliirli iiiaiiy hoai'ds set iis tlicii- limit, ami the 
result is Unit these schools are too often material foi' new and 
inexi)erieneed teachers t(» practice upon to prei)are Ihemselves 
for largei" places. " 

This report fully sets foi'lh I he pi'e>en1 status of these schools. 
lIowe\'ei', nothin.y' is said about the teaching of agriculture in 
these schools, proljably ])ecause so little has l)een accomplished. 
it is tlie o])inion of your conunittee thai the township high 
school affoi'ds a i)ai'tii'ularly favoralile oppoi-tunity for the suc- 
cessful teaching of agriculture. Its tributary area is normally 
])ut six miles s(puire. Its puj)ils ai'e all within easy driving 
distance from home, and they are sulificieiitly mature to do this 
woi'k understandingly and well. Those who complete the course 
of study are in continuous attendance throughout a period of 
four years; they are in lii'st hand daily touch with fai-m li^e. 
and have constant opportunity to ])ut into ])ractice at home the 
interesting lessons that they learn at school. Tf secondaiy agri- 
cultural education is to be of real significance to tlie farmers, 
they nuist come to I'calize its importance and take a (leejxM- and 
mote acti\-e interest in their township high schools. 

The State SupcM'i/itendent in the I'cport (pioted abo\e has 
called attention to the vital defects in these schools so far as it 
a])plies to agriculture, which have inadequate ecpiipment. ineffi- 
cient and innnature teachers. If the state will grant special aid 
to encourage the teaching of agriculture in these schools, and 
at the same time provide for the training of mature, efficient 
teachers, ca])abi(^ of l(^a<ling farmers as well as theii- cliildren. it 
appears to youi" commission tliat these schools may become ])(> 
tent factors in demonstrating the jiossibiltiy and practicability 
of agi'icultural teaching in rural high schools. 

The Township High School law jn'ovides that Township higli 
schools may recei\-e state aid for the salaries of teacliers to an 
amount e(|ui\'alent to that paid by the townships, limiting, how- 
ever, the amount which may be |)ai(l to a school having in addi- 
tion to a princijial one assistant, not to exceed ^!M)(), two assist- 
ants not to exceed $1,200, and thi-ee oi' more assistants not to 
exceed -i^l .5(10. and with the further limitation that the total to 
the townshij) high sciiools shall not exi-eed $00,000. Your com- 
mission recommends that additional state aid e(piivaleiit to that 



Extension of Indtstkial and AGRicri/rLRAi. Training. 127 

granted for manual training, !i^250 per aninini be granted to 
tcwnship higli schools after having introdneed courses contain- 
ing not less than two nnits of agriculture, or agriculture and 
domestic ec( nomy, provided that the courses of study and the 
teachers are approved by the State Superintendent. 

The Yillar/r and Cifii Higli Scliooh 

Over thirty thousand jjiipiis are enrolled in the Village and 
City High Schools. The state contributes $125,000 annually to 
their support. Twenty-eight of these offer courses in manual 
tiaining and domestic science, to which the state makes a second 
contribution of $8,100. 

Attention has been called to the fact that (nir high schools 
are educating away from industrial pursuits. As yet little has 
been done with agriculture in Wisconsin as a high school study 
tluuigh twenty-eight schools are now receiving state aid for man- 
ual training. The reason for this lack of interest in agricultural 
teaching lies in the fact that agriculture has not received proper 
recognition as a means of education. Few persons have pre- 
l)aretl themselves for teachers of this l)ranch because there 
seemed to De litle demand for such teaching; and partly in 
consequence few high schools have attempted to give much in- 
struction in agriculture tor lack of ade<|uate teaching force. 
]\[any educators have small faith in the ultimate success of this 
work. The state gives no financial encouragement to agricul- 
tui'al teaching in high schools. Further it is argued by some 
that agricultural education is sufficiently caied for in our county 
schools of agriculture and that the introducticm of agriculture 
in the high schools will destroy these special schools. 

Those who favor agriculture in the high school, especially the 
rural high school, call attention to the following facts: — ■ 

1. In these schools the student body already in attendance is 
recruited largely from the neighboring farms. 

2. Their courses of study may be easily modified to include 
practical instruction in agriculture. Such courses, especially 
those that are four years in length, admit of a broad general 
training as well as considerable work along luii-rower vocational 
lines. 

?>. The laboratories and equipment of these schools need but 
slight modificati(m and but little inexpensive additional equip- 
Uient to be easily adapted to this work. 



12S KKi'oirr OK 'rill': Commission Cpon Tlans kok the 

4. Aji-iiciillural cuiii'.-cs (if study may he easily and ('coiKiiiiio- 
ally admiiiisltMT(l in tlu'sc scliools. 

• 1. Most states aie eiieoufa.uiiiii tli<' itil rndud ion oi; a<;ricultiii'e 
inti' the secondary scliools. 

(). It is the opinion of the nia.jorit\' oi' men who have fjiveii 
Ihoiiylit lo this suh.ject that agricultui'c can he siiecessfidiy 
taught iji the City Iliuli School. 

7. High schools can not do the work now done hy the special 
schools heeaiise they do not sei\-e the same class of students, 
lleuce they will neither injure nor supplant the special schools, 
hut 1)N' encouraoins' a wider sentiment for agricultural eduea- 
ti( n. will g\\e addcil impetus to the work of such schools. 

These special schools will not reach their limit of efficiency un- 
til the high schools create a sentiment that will turn a sti'cam of 
hoys and girls in their direction, there to receive the finishing 
touches of an agricultural education, exactly as they are now 
doing for the normal schools and business colleges. 

^Minnesota has recognized the im])oi'tance of agriculture as a 
means of high school education and now gives !|;2..")0() annually 
to each of ten schools oiTering instructi<n in this branch, and 
mc'-hanic and domestic art. So successful has been this experi- 
meirt that in all probability the number will he greatly increased 
at the coming session of the legislatui'e. Wisconsin may v»-ell 
coui-ider the wisdom el' enacting ^ similar law. 

"^'oni- commission recommends that state aid eriual in amount 
to that now granted for manual training. ^2~^^) per annum, be 
granted to \illage and city high schools that inti'oduce not less 
than two units of agriculture or Hgi'icultuiv and domestic econ- 
omy provided that tiie courses of study in agriculture and do- 
mestic economy and the teachers in the same be approved by the 
state supei'intendent. 

Tin Coinilji SchotiJs of AfiiknJi urc and l)o)nfstic Economy. 

'Pen county schools of agriculture and domestic economy may 
he established under the present law. Five are now in actual 
operation. A sixth has been voted by the county board of Mil- 
waukee county. Though there is agitation fi»r the establish- 
ment of these schools in several other eounti(>s. it is ]U"o])al)lc 
that the numbei- possible under the present law will suffice until 
tlie next meeting of the legislature. These are essentially trade 
schools and should alwavs l)e maintained as such. 



Extension of LxnrsTRi.vL and Agricultiral Training. 129 

Besides supplying the real needs of agricultural instruction 
in their counties, these schools serve a class of people the coun- 
try and high schools fail to reach; they cany on their own lines 
of field work among farmers; they organize cow-testing and 
grain-growing associations; they furnish assistance in planning 
and erecting farm buildings; they hold farmers' meetings; they 
are the logical centers from v/hich the agricultural field work 
service, carried on by the State College of Agriculture, radiates. 
Their value lias l.ci'u clearly and unciuestionably demonstrated 
and the state should encourage them in every possible way. By 
some it is feared that the introduction of agriculture into the 
high schools of the state will injure these special county schools. 
But your commission wishes to suggest that tlie introduction of 
agriculture into the high schools will give the county schools of 
agriculture an opportunity for development and specialization 
otherwise unattainable. Bast experience demonstrates that 
these schools reach their greatest efficiency when they develop 
along departmental lines, with a trained specialist in charge of 
each department. Their teaching equipment involves as a min- 
imum, a teacher in agriculture, one in manual arts, and one in 
domestic science. Into such trade schools many high school 
students will iii('vital)]y drift when their attention has been 
called througli tlieii- high school instruction to the business of 
agriculture. 

The following tal)le may shed some light on the necessity for 
modifying our method for the distribution of state aid to fhesc 
schools : 

COUXTY SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE STATISTICS. 



Total Cost of I Total cost 

County. Assessed [ Building 1 Maintain- 

Valuation. (Estimated. I ance. 
I I I I 



Cost to ! Valuation: 
iCounty. i per $1. 00 
I cost. 



! ' jt. ' ! [ 

Dunn l-|i2-2,472,00O j $20,000 | $10,423 70 | $6,423 70 i $3, .500 

I Jt. 1 ' 

Marinette ; 26,049,000 20,000 7,156 00 1 3,136 CO i S.WO 

I ' Jt. I ; 

Marathon ' 4.3,f;92,000 | 20,000 1 5,933 9.5 | 1,975 00 1 23,10«1 

! ; I I ■! " 

La Crosse 41,032,000] (0,000 | 14,28102 1 10,281 02 | i,(m 

I : I I 'I 

Winnebago ! 67,715,000 J 40,000) 7,044 36 | 3,04153 1 22 240 

III! 



••:!() 



Hki'oht ok TiiK Commission I'l-ox I'lans kok tiik 



County 



Dunn 

:M:iriiicltc 
^larallioii 
La C'roHsc 
Wiiuicbiifo 




■Cost to ' Valuation 

County per $1 cost 

per Pupil. ; to State. 



$ ,6:s 

(i,12 

11, -J^^ 

: 0.270 

Hi, 129 



The county afi'i'icultui'iil schools now receive not to exceed 
Iwo-tliii'ds of their cost of maintenance from the state, provided 
such sum docs not exceed .$4,000 annually. From the table 
given it is appaient that those schools which an- making the 
strongest impression on their conniumities are spending nnicti 
more than $6,000 a year, it seems highly })robal)le that the 
matter of state aid to these schools might with advantage he 
changed from the ])roportion which lutw obtains and Ihe maxi- 
mum amount of state aid he considerably increased. The fact 
that these schools have no organic relation to the I'est of the 
school system may well be consideicd. A continuation couisc 
at the Agricultural College would affoi'd an opportunity for the 
graduates of these schools to get a broader outlook, furnisli ; n 
incentive for them to graduate at the home institution, and give 
these schools a place in our system of public education. 

Your commi.ssion therefore recommends tluit the rniversity 
of Wisconsin establish in the College of Agi-icidtui'c a "con- 
tinuation course" for graduates of comity agi'icultural schools 
to which its shoi't course graduates may also be admittcnl. 

Your commission furtluM' reccninnends that the present law 
])ei'taining to state aid for coiuity agiicul1ui-al schools be 
amended so as to change tlie limit which may b(> ])aid by the 
state to any one school from $4,000 to $H,000 : but with the |)r(:- 
vision that if niore than $1,000 be paid by the state that the 
countv shall c()ntiil)ute not less tlian an e(|nal amount. 



TJu r ii'n'rr.sih/. 

Agricultural instruction in llie I'niveisity I'cgan in 1^76. At 
that time the four-year long course was oi-ganized. This course 
was based on the same enti-ance I'equil enieiits as all other course^ 



Extension of ixDisTKiAL and AGRicri/n kal Thaixixc. i:}! 

of the rniversity; it iiu-liidcd two years of woik in liberal arts 
as a foundation to the te.'hnieal work in agriculture which fol- 
lowed in the jiuiior and senior years. This course, when organ- 
ized, was ahead of the demands of the time, as but few students 
or parent:-; realized the necessity for formal instruction of this 
type. The failure to resell the farm boy through the medium 
of the Iciig cr.uise led in 1885 to the establishment of the so- 
called short cour>e. Xo stringent entrance requirements were 
exacted. Taking the boy as he came from the country school. 
and with considerable experience already in farm practice, this 
course has be::i l-:ept upon a piaitical basis and amounted to a 
continuation school, although not know'n under that name. The 
success attendant upon this educatiom.l experiment (for this 
course was the first to break over the traditional boundaries of 
agricultural education in the land grant colleges) was not as- 
sured from the l)eginiiing. and it was cmly after the most per- 
sistent etfort that the course began to grow in the estimation of 
the farmers of the state. 

In 1890 a similar type of practical work was started for the 
training of creamery and cheese factory operators. The discov- 
ery of the Babeock test and its application to factory dairying 
made possible the development of instruction in this line, and 
the Dairy Course of 12 weeks held in the winter has been 
crowded ever since its inception. 

It is noteworthy that at present nearly all agricultural col- 
leges have adopted the short course idea in some form or other. 
The increase of students in the short course work has now be- 
come so great as to tax the resources of the University. The 
grade of students ' attending this w^ork has greatly impro^'ed 
within recent years. In 1909, two college or university gradu- 
ates, and foi'ty-two high school graduates were in attendance on 
this course. Seventy-seven students out of 460 had had a year 
or more high school work. This short course work has exerted 
a more ])owerful effect on the state than any other line of agri- 
cultural educational work which has been done by the I^'niver- 
sity. It is important to note in a recent census made of its 
graduatc^s that 91 ])er cent were engaged in some form of agri- 
cultural work, and that 80 per cent were to be found on Wis- 
consin farms. 

The increased attention given to agriculture within the last 
decade has greatlv stimulated interest in regular university 



132 Report of the CoMMiyjsio.x L'rox I'lans foh the 

work in cigrieiiltiire, the graduates finding in practical, scienti- 
fic, and teaching work, a wide, rapidly developing field for their 
efforts. 

In ]y()8, a two year "^Middle Course" was organized with the 
same entrance (|ualificatious as for the Long Course (four years 
of high school work), in which are given substantially the first 
two years of the Long Course with the substitution of more 
practical agricultural work for German and mathematics. 

With the several types of courses offered the needs of ])i'ac- 
tically all students are here considered. The Short Course takes 
the boy from the farm directly and on a country school founda- 
tion (or higher), gives him an opportunity to continue his train- 
ing along vocational lines. The Dairy Course is essentially a 
trade school for the dairy factory ojierator. The IMiddl^ Course 
is designed for the high school graduate of the smaller town or 
rural high school who is unlikely to finish the four year course 
of university training, and who expects to return to a farm 
occupation. The Long Course offers the best training in the 
various phases of agricultural endeavor. While many of its 
graduates are returning to the farms as practical operator!*, 
managers or superintendents, others are going into experiment 
station work, college positions, teachers of agriculture in sec- 
ondary and high schools, and into agricultui-al .iournidism. 
These higher courses ai"e ali'cady clos(»ly articulated with the 
public school system of the state. Doubtless with the introduc- 
tion of agriculture in the high school eurricuhun. the relation of 
the college to the high school will Ijccome more intimate. The 
Short Course is not articulated at present with any ])ortion of 
the secondaiy school system. Its work is most nearly allied to 
that of the county agricultural school, and in the evolution of 
agricultural training, it is entirely possible that the further de- 
velopment of th(\se schools may diminish the necessity for con- 
tinued emphasis of this line of instruction, although from 
present appearances, such a condition is not likely to obtain for 
some years to come. It would be easily possible to correlate a 
type of work that could be given in the Short Course so as to 
extend the woilc of the county agricultural school by an addi- 
tional winter's work at the university, as has been previously 
recommended. Such a mode of procedure would be helpful in 
aiding these special schools of agriculture in the development 
of their work. 



Extension of Industrial and Agricclti^ral Thaixino. 1:^3 

The University has long recognized its chligation to the farm- 
ers of the state, and has for years g^iven hirgely of its resonrec-; 
in tiuK^ and energy to the npbnilding of the agriculture of the 
state. Long before the idea of field work had gained the ground 
v.-hieh it now occupies as in integral jjart of the work of the agri- 
ciiltnral college, many lines of activities were under way in 
which direct help was given to the person in need of such aid. 

Beginning with the organization of the Fanners' Institutes 
movement in ]885, from one hundred to one hundred ana 
twenty meetings have been held annually in the winter for one 
or two days, the circuit closing with a three day convention 
known as the Round-up Institute. The talks and addresses here 
presented are incorporated in a Farmers' Institute Bulletin of 
two hundred or more pages, and distributed the following sea- 
son in an ''dition cf 50,000 to 60,000 copies. This work has been 
closely affiliated with the Agricultural College. 

In 1908 the Agricultural Field Work service of the college 
proper was organized, the work being divided into two general 
lines: (1) Demonstration field work of various kinds carried 
on during ;«ummer conditions where the farmers can be brought 
in direct contact with the actual necessary operations and see 
just how they were carried out. (2) Lecture and Demonstra- 
tion Courses held during the winter. These courses, known as 
Farmers' Courses are held at the University, the county agricul- 
tural schools and other selected points. They range from five 
to ten days in length and consist of lectures, demonstrations and 
practical exercises given by a corps of ten to fifteen of the agri- 
cultural college staff. These meetings supplement the Farmers' 
Institute, covering a much wider field and emphasizing the dem- 
(mstraticiual features as much as possible. The close co-opera- 
tion with the county agricultural schools has aided greatly in 
the development of this work. Through the medium of the local 
school, the work of the Farmers' Courses can be most effectively 
advertised, while at the same time the local school is always 
available as a center of crystallizing into effectiveness the prac- 
tice recommended. 

A most valuable phase of field M'ork has also been developed 
in the Faryners' School which is a more intensive development 
of the farmers' idea. In this type of work the subjects consid- 
ered are restricted to not more than two definite lines, as live 
stock, farm crops, soil problems, etc., and specific class room 



];U l\i:i'()in' OF 'I'liK Commission I'ihn I'i.axs koi^ the 

instruction for six hours dniiy is ^ivcn, iit ttMHliincc ui)()U llui- 
sanu' l)rin<4- ri'quii'cd by prcxioiis rej^'istrat ion. The salient 
feature of tliis type of tielcl eftoi-t is that it is suftieiently in- 
tensive to awaken positive effoi-t to puf proper methods in 
actual practice. It is a matter of uuich in(Uiieiit that tliese tiejd 
efU'orts are exercised Avliere jxissible through the medium of 
tlie ajuricultural school work. At present in tlie county scliools, 
and it is to he hoped later in the hii;-li schools in which a.u'riciil- 
lure will he developed, this i)ropai;'anda work can be lu'st con- 
tinued. This puts the local teachiujj- ajiency in direct vital con- 
tact with the problems of tlu' farm, thus \ivifyino- the efforts 
of the instructor and creatiug a most wholesome relation be- 
tweeu the school and the community. 

The field workers from the rniversity conu^ in pei-sonal con- 
tact with the ])eople whose problems ai'c i)i'essing for solution, 
through the medium of the siunmer work and also in these Avin- 
ter courses, but the continuous iiresence of an active local 
agency to Avhich tli(\v can look for helj) has l)een found to be <if 
utmost service. 

Where such agencies (county agricultural schools or high 
schools with agricultural departments) do not already exist, it 
is possible to stimulate eifort in this direction through the 
medium of an agricultural specialist who is an agent of the 
college located in a restricted area, sa\' a county or a jjortion 
of a county. Such a method of itiiu'rant instruction has been 
developed in the province of Ontario, and also in Bavaria. Ger- 
many. Such resident specialists would be wholly comparable 
to the resident professors in general Tiniversity Extension who 
are pei'mancntly located in the industrial centers in which the 
held work is intensively organized. Such an organizer would 
serve as the local nucleus which in time might be the means 
of .stimulating interest in agricultural education to the point of 
organizing educational effort directly in the high school or the 
special county schools. When his work resulted in such fruit- 
age, he could be withdrawn and leave the further de\-elo])nii'nt 
to the local agency. 

It is oui- belief that this system should be tried in Wiscon- 
sin and its ai)plical)ility to our conditions determined. The 
lines of activity capable of development through such an agency 
are manifold. As illustration of the possibilities, mention may 
be nuide of a single type of work, such as pushing the develop- 



Extension ok Jnoistrial and Agriculti-ral Training, i:^") 

nient of the young- people's corn and grain growing contests. 
At present this work has been extended to abont forty eonnties. 
the College working" in co-operation with the county superin- 
tendent of schools. This year corn was sent to about 15,000 
young people and about (J.OOO samples were entered for compe- 
tition at the various county fairs. Last year educational prizes 
were granted to one scholar in each contest, which consisted of 
paying the boy's expenses from his home to iMadison and return 
to attend the special work given these young people at the 
University. The educational value of tliis work is already 
apparent, and there is no doubt l)ut that a wide extension of 
this propaganda would go far in inciting a permanent interest 
of these boys in agricultural pursuits. 

The main problem in this system of specialists would be to 
secure men of proj^er training and experience, for men capable 
of covei'ing geiKM'al activities of this sort are the hardest to tind 
of any class. The results already ol)tained in this work, al- 
tliough only organized a few years, attest the genuine interest 
that is roused in the minds of actual soil tillers. Not only is 
this a matter of great importance in itself, but the change which 
js thus i)roduced in the mind of the parent exerts the strongest 
possih'e ( fIVct on bis wbob^ attitude toward education. 

In furtherance of the above ])lan your commission recom- 
mends the insertion of a clause in the ag:ricultural field service 
l)ill wiiicli will permit the appointment of travelling teachers 
of agficulture. 

Coticl IIS toil. 

A summary of recommendations contained in the above report 
upon agricultural education may be found in the general report, 
page ... 



-<^t 



li: N 'I 



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